• 2024 PDE ELD Conference - FREE and all VIRTUAL!

  • • Registration

    • Agenda

IU1 CCC Page Updated

IU1 Curriculum Department

• Menu of services

• Professional Development List

• No more ten day contracts.  Buy 9 full PD days and get one free. 

Save the Dates 

• Innovative Learning Collaborative - October 3rd, 2024 at Fluxspace, 401 Greentree Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15220 

  • Innovative Learning Collaborative Registration

• IU1 Career Mobile Lab Launch - September 24, 2024 at IU1 Central.  

  • Flyer

Discussion topics

• Benchmarking Pilot - Will be available for Math and ELA from November until March

• Technology Enhanced Items (TEI) implemented into your curriculum.  

  • TEI Samples

  • TEI Workshop  - Creating TEI's with Google Slides (NOV 14th)

AI Updates

• Magic School AI Enterprise

  • Pilot from now till the end of the year ($2000).

  • Cost is $5 times enrollment

  • IU1 can support the PD and implementation of this program

• Resource from 7 States

PDE Updates

• Link

• Firefly

  • Was created to help norm the PSSA/Keystone exams.  PDE has tried to hire staticians to correlate other vendors towards the state exams.  Every one came back and said this is impossible.  Basic on Study Island could be Basic in Arkansas or Alaska.  The vocabulary used was a huge barrier to this study. (Divide vs Quotient)

  • This will be an optional assessment.

  • Firefly will be aligned to the standards. (45 minutes long) about 32 questions.

  • All questions will be at grade level.  The 32 questions from Firefly will mirror a mini state exam.  It will be predictive.

  • 86% of CDT's were given as full tests which showed the need for Firefly

  • Pilot 24-25. ELA 3-8, LIt and Math 3-8, Alg 1.  No Science due to implementation of STEEL standards. Each school will get one administration for each test. 

  • Districts will get reports back with everything except predictions.  Will receive an ISR for each kid.   There are no requirements for this pilot. You can be selective on grades and students that take it.

  • 25-26 will be used similarly to CDT's.  LEA decision.

  • Will help prep districts for online testing.  TEI's built in.

  • Must test online in Spring 2026 - no other option.

  • This year and Winter 2025 can still pe paper pencil.

  • The implementation of TEI's will not change test complexity.  It just gives PDE an option for DOK questions.

ACT 45 Updates

• PDESAS Site 

  • ACT 45

• The State already approved ACT 45 for the SAC meetings (25 hours a year) PDE will provide and track the hours, not IU1.

• The State is working on a Principal Meeting Collaborative (25 hours a year) Once approved the State will go back and approve hours from the first meeting.

• 50 Act 45 hours will carry over to the new cycle if the extra hours were taken within the last 2 years at the end of the cycle.

• New PIL page on PDE

  • PA Inspired Leadership (PIL) Program 

• 9 page FAQ is in route on the SAS site

• ACT 45 starts on the day of employment which is different from ACT 48 which starts on the day you receive your certification.

Act 48 Updates

• As part of Level i to Level II, a Level II assessment is required.  Th district fills out the 427 Form and this counts as the summative assessment.

• Mentors can receive ACT 48 credit.

• Mentors/Supervisors may receive up to 15 hours per inductee or student teacher totaling no more than 45 hours in a compliance period.

• Level I to Level II

  • Level II Assessment (427 form) - REQUIRED

  • Induction is REQUIRED for first year teachers, first year specialists, and Long-term substitutes of 45 days or more (Instructional I)

    • Instructional II means the person has been through a formal Induction program. 

  • Certificate Status Circular for Educators

  • Certificate Status Circular for LEAs

ACT 13 Updates

• • ACT 55 of 2024 requires cyber schools to follow ACT 13

    • TPE are the non certified and the certified teachers are non TPE is PDE's recommendation.

    • Teachers in cyber or charter programs can not get tenure.  If a district hires a 15 year cyber teacher, they will enter as a TPE.

    • September 10th and September 23rd PDE will meet with cybers

  • 3 year rolling average is back

  • Nuance is that a new teacher might not have PVAAS growth as a result of the three years prior to tenure and then the three year window of 3 year growth.  (Until the 6th year)

State Update

CPR has to be offered but nobody has to take it. 1% of staff have to be certified.

Personal Finance

• Timing: If enacted as they are proposed, the personal finance standards will take effect July 1, 2026. (If approved)

• Update:  The standards were approved on September 12, 2024.

• Economics, FACS, CEW, and Personal Finance; set to be on agenda for state board meeting on Sept 12; nearing end of regulatory process.

  • 26-27 SY Implementation 

  • Predicted that by December PA will have new standards

  • Toolkit coming in SAS site

  • Is it a graduation requirement for 2027 seniors?  Brian Gasper replied "I believe not, but still working on it."

  • A guidance document will be coming soon.

ACT 55 Resources

• Link

• ACT 45 hours are available for all administrators that complete the Safe Schools mandated training.

• Bureau of special education fiscal training - counts as ACT 45 hours.

• Can earn up to 10-21 (max) hours at PDE SAS conference (easier application)

PVAAS Updates

• PVAAS releases in the fall

  • PDE & SAS EVAAS are working together (as we do each year) for an earlier release. 

  • Stay tuned! PDE will announce any timeframes for data releases.

• Check out the NEW lineup for professional learning 

• Teacher-Student Linkage NOW AVAILABLE in PVAAS

PVAAS now connects teachers with their current students’ data! This means that instead of searching through the database to find your students, we can pre-populate the teacher’s current group of students. This makes it easier to locate student data for the students enrolled with the teacher.

•  3-year composite report is back.

• NEW Pre-Populated Custom Student Reports (CSRs) for teachers

  • Enable teachers to easily view longitudinal data for their currently enrolled students from PSSAs, Keystones, AP Exams, PSAT, ACT, SAT, ACCESS for ELLs, CDT, and other local assessments (as available), as well as PVAAS Student Projections on the recently redesigned PVAAS Student Report

• October 3rd student enrollment in PIMS is necessary for the new reports for teachers, If your district misses this one then January is your next chance.

• Upcoming IU1 Trainings on PVAAS

  • 11/18/24 and 1/21/25

CDT Updates

• Updates

• Upcoming IU1 Trainings on CDT's:

  • Determining Growth and Ongoing Actions (9 - 11:30)

    • 1/29/25 and 2/20/25

• Chemistry CDT's are going away.

• • • Fully aligned to the STEELS starting in August 2025

PDE Content Advisors

• The Science waiver does not waive students from taking the test.  It only waives accountability. STEELS standards are live in the 25-26 SY.  STEELS Assessment toolkit, Communications toolkit are close to being released. Additionally, a Safety Guide is close to being released. 

• PA Smart Targeted Grant coming soon.

  • Simple application for target districts (Must meet criteria).  Focus is computer science.

• $7 million in dual enrollment grants for this year.  Should be out before December

• ELA/Structured Literacy

  • Structured Literacy must be embedded into the district comp plan every three years.

• Dave Dietz - Theatre Professional Development Workshops

  • Theatre Workshop PPT 

  • Theatre Workshop Flyer

PA Student Centered Learning Network (PA-SCL)

• The Student-Centered Learning Initiative has been developed to improve educational outcomes for all students by creating a more cohesive and coordinated approach to student-centered learning in Pennsylvania. Our Mission is to empower a Pennsylvania where all learners thrive in student-centered environments. Our Vision is to create ubiquitous learning opportunities where the student is at the center of all learning. 

• Sign up and register for future PA-SCL communications

• PA-SCL Resources group on OER Commons

PDE SAS Updates

• • We are close to releasing the STEELS standards in the Standards area.  

  • Information and Media Toolkit is up. 

  • We are hoping to release the 9/11 toolkit next week. 

  • The Personal Finance Toolkit will be released this fall. 

  • We are creating PD for OCDEL, Paraprofessionals, BCTE, and Safe Schools.

  • We are working on a personal finance course and a computer science course.

  • We are continuing to build out Act 45 which will include the induction program.

  • Updated the ACT 70 toolkit and expanded.

Comp Planning/FRCPP

• Comp Plan/FRCPP info site

• CP Tip Jar

• Starting May 3, 2024, School Districts must use the Administrator Changes page in the School Reconfiguration plan to submit changes.

Esports

• TheEsportsCompany - Seth Mason

• Working on a Fall/Spring Esports tournament for two different games.  This will be held at Waynesburg University.

• Esports Lending Library - IU1 has Nintendo Switches and Gaming Computers to loan for a semester at a time.  

Are you ready for some football?

• Financial Football 

CPE

• CPE Fall 24

ACT 45 Registration

Structured Literacy Updates 

Fall 2024 SL Update

This session gives a look into the DRC online testing portal used for PSSA exams, Keystone exams, CDTs, and the Firefly benchmarks in Grades 3-12 Math, ELA, and Science.. Teachers will learn about various testing tools that exist in the DRC portal, including technology enhanced items (TEIs) and open ended response questions. The session will not only focus on teachers learning the tools, but also designing their own TEI style questions using Google applications that can be integrated into instruction. This workshop is designed to be both informative and practical, so come prepared to collaborate, create, and walk away with resources ready for the classroom! 

We are excited to announce that IU1 is transitioning from Science Matters to IU1 STEM Pathways!

We are excited to announce our partnership with OpenSciEd for Curricular Materials for Middle School for 2024-2025 and for Elementary Materials for the 2025-2026 school year thanks to generous funding from EQT.

OpenSciEd Middle School Pilot- Starting October 1, 2024

Overall, this pilot program aims to support middle school teachers in implementing phenomena-based instruction aligned with the newly adopted PA STEELS standards through the use of OpenSciEd Instructional Materials and Kits and ongoing professional development and networking opportunities.

• 10 teachers across the IU1 region School Districts are participating

  • Washington, Ringgold, Burgettstown, Brownsville, Albert Gallatin, Southeastern Greene

Stay tuned for more details around our OpenSciEd kits and other kits as we continue to expand!  

For any questions, please contact Alyssa Moore at alyssa.moore@iu1.org

OpenSciEd Meets PA STEELS- PAIU Webinars

If you’re planning to utilize the free OpenSciEd Curriculum this school year for middle or high school, please join PAIU experts across the state as they offer webinars to support the implementation of the free OpenSciEd units. These webinars support educators as they look to utilize the free OpenSciEd resources, including offering a uniquely Pennsylvania lens by sharing STEELS alignment details and potential connections to local phenomena. Each webinar hosted by a PAIU STEM Point of Contact is offering an hour of Act 48 credit at its completion.

NGSS/ PA STEELS Crosswalk- Started, but not complete! (Grades K-8)

Open Grant Opportunities

PA DEP Environmental Education Grants- Deadline to Apply: November 15, 2024 

• Register for the information webinar by September 30, 2024- Webinar takes place on October 10, 2024

• Funding Categories

  • Mini Grants- $5,000 for environmental education projects

  • General Grants Level 1- $5,001-$30,000 grants for large-scale, district-wide projects

  • General Grants Level 2- $30,001-$65,000 grants for non-formal projects engaging youth and teachers across local, state, and national levels

The Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (SACP) and The Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) 

K-12 Science Innovation Grant- $2,000 mini grants- Deadline to Apply: November 1, 2024

Elementary Middle school Science Equipment Grants- $600 mini grants- Deadline to Apply: November 1, 2024

High School Science Equipment Grants- $2,000 mini grants- Deadline to Apply: November 1, 2024

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunity

• 3D Learning for Secondary Life Science and More!- October 17, 2024

  • Join Miranda Crotsley from Jennings Environmental Education Center for demo lessons focusing on STEELS Standards in Life Science, Earth Science, and Environmental Literacy. This immersive experience provides teachers with essential experiences to shift to 3D learning, benefitting students and their local communities. 

• MWEE- Meaningful Watershed Education Experience- Racoon State Park- October 29- Registration coming soon!

A story to share

• Creating Calm: Sensory Rooms at Charleroi

A recent event

• Remake Learning Assembly- Monday, September 16

  • Pittsburgh Playhouse

  • Celebrated 10 years of Remake Learning Days!

  • Moonshot Grants- More funding this year, however, funding will be dedicated to the Working Groups

Announcement of the Rural Schools Collaborative

• Focus directly on the Intermediate Unit 1 region and contiguous West Virginia 

• Looking for more stories to share and highlight exceptional educators of our region

• Please reach out to Alyssa at alyssa.moore@iu1.org

Upcoming Events for Educators in our Region

• Heinz History Center Open House- Wednesday October 23, 2024- 5:30-8:30 pm

  • Free admission for educators with advance registration at https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/event/educator-open-house/

• 2024 Innovation Showcase with IU1 and West Virginia Public Education Collaborative- October 10, 2025- 10:00am

BotsIQ MFGexplore Program

Intermediate Unit 1 is proud to partner with BotsIQ during the 2024-2025 school year to offer the BotsIQ MFGexplore Program to IU1 schools. Each MFGexplore lesson is FREE and includes a lesson focused on a career in manufacturing or robotics and a hands-on activity relating to each career. The MFGexplore lessons and activities are age-appropriate for elementary, middle, and high school students in all subject-areas.

A link with more details on the available manufacturing careers and corresponding activities is below.

BotsIQ MFGexplore List of Careers and Activities

To request a visit from the BotsIQ MFGexplore program, please complete the form below.

BotsIQ MFGexplore IU1 Request Form

A representative from BotsIQ will be in touch with you to discuss scheduling, including additional visits. Only one request form needs to be completed per school. 

Smart Futures Career Plan and Portfolio Platform-- Zoom Tours

The Career Ready PA Coalition announces two 60-minute statewide Zoom meetings highlighting Smart Futures’ Career Plan and Portfolio (CPP), a popular Pennsylvania-built career readiness platform. The Smart Futures CPP platform facilitates the seamless creation, storage, and reporting of digital CEW artifacts that are then portable with the student as they move between schools.  The solution is more affordable and easy to implement than existing national products.

Smart Futures CPP platform is already being used by over 50% of schools in Pennsylvania, and yet there are many districts and schools that still don’t know this resource exists.

Two 60-minute Zoom sessions are being offered to help spread the word:

September 23 @ 1:00 p.m. and September 26 @ 9:00 a.m.

Sign-Up here:  https://calendly.com/smartfutures/crpa-tours 

These sessions are targeted to schools not currently subscribing to the Smart Futures. The tours are open to educators and administrators (Future Ready Leadership Team members) from school districts, charter schools, CTC's, Intermediate Units, and alternative education programs and are being offered at NO COST to participants. 

Career Mobile Lab Launch Event:

We are excited to announce the launch of the IU1 Career Mobile Lab and would be honored if you could join us for this special event!

Date: September 24, 2024
Time: 12:30 P.M. – 2:30 P.M.
Location: IU1 Central Office, 1 Intermediate Unit Drive, Coal Center, PA 15423

Come tour our career mobile lab, participate in interactive activities with our career partners, and enjoy delicious food from the Greene County CTC food truck, GCCTC Eats.

If attending, please register for this event by September 18, 2024 via this link!

To view current career readiness services and opportunities, please visit our Career Readiness website. Updates are on-going to this website! Any questions? Please email Elizabeth Meerdo at elizabeth.meerdo@iu1.org.

• Student Challenges 2024: the flyer and all challenges/competitions can be found on the Innovation and Design site.
  
  

• Annual Innovation Showcase: Intermediate Unit 1 (IU1) invites you to join IU1, schools, and partners from around Southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia on October 10, 2024, from 10AM to 1PM at West Virginia University’s Erickson Alumni Center as they showcase their Innovation Grant success. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the grant, get ideas, and how to apply for the 2024-2025 RFP. Register to attend today at https://forms.gle/rZL66gFnrB6jzYfb9.
  
  

• IU1 Student Forum: Attached you will find a flyer with the dates for each meeting. Student Forum provided students with a collaborative learning environment for issues, ideas, opportunities, questions, and concerns of the students in our individual districts. Join us this and sign up at: https://forms.gle/W9iYPEHASExzS34JA
  
  

• IU1 Lending Library: Educators can borrow current digital and technical tools to use within their classroom at no charge. New items have been added, Storytime STEM Kits and eSports equipment! Learn more at https://sites.google.com/iu1.org/innovationanddesign/lending-library.
  
  

• Project Baseplate: CMU has announced its partnership with a UK social enterprise, Play Included®, to officially launch the Brick-by-Brick® program, an internationally acclaimed LEGO® brick based therapy, in the United States. The partnership will enable CMU to train education professionals to deliver the program in their own schools and out-of-school community settings to support children’s development and personal wellbeing. Learn more or to schedule a training visit https://www.cmu.edu/gelfand/project_baseplate.html
  
  

• Workshops for Fab Lab and more coming soon!