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Friday Update: August 1, 2003

Paraprofessional Test Score

Working with Educational Testing Service, an Indiana standard-setting panel consisting of a representative group of paraprofessionals, teachers, and administrators has developed a passing score for the ETS ParaPro Assessment. 460 has been established as the passing score that Title I paraprofessionals must meet in order to be considered highly qualified per the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

NBPTS Subsidy Coordinator

Welcome Cyndy Moriarty to the IPSB as teacher-in-residence to coordinate the subsidies for certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. She is a National Board Certified teacher as an early childhood generalist and teaches in the MSD of Decatur Township. Contact Cyndy at cmoriarty@doe.in.gov or 317-232-9001. We will keep you informed as additional funding and programs to support National Board Certification become available.

School Leaders Licensure Assessment Scorers

Scorers are being recruited for the next round of the School Leaders Licensure Assessment. The scoring will be September 25-27 in New Jersey. If you are interested in serving as a scorer for this next session, please contact Marie Theobald at mtheobald@doe.in.gov or 317-234-0215. Practicing administrators, retired administrators, and faculty in school leader preparation programs are eligible to be recommended as scorers.

Thanks to Earlene Holland, Steve Gruenert, Chuck Little, and Larry Lindsay who represented Indiana at the scoring session in July. Indiana is one of ten states that require the SLLA for initial licensing of school leaders.

On-line Limited Criminal History Report

The IPSB will now accept limited criminal history reports that have been obtained online from the Indiana State Police by the applicants themselves. There are substantial penalties for persons who submit false or altered criminal histories. Previously, we only accepted online criminal histories if someone other than the applicant had obtained them. We hope this change in procedure will make the application process less expensive and more convenient for the applicant.

BTIP/BTAP Enrollment Update

Judy Miller is taking the 2003-04 Beginning Teacher Program Update on the road. The schedule is as follows:

• August 1, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm at Indiana University East in Richmond
• August 6, 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Indiana Government Center South Auditorium in Indianapolis
• August 8, 9:30 am to 11:30 am at Tipton County Foundation in Tipton
• August 26, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm at FWCS Grile Administrative Center in Fort Wayne

If you are interested in attending one of these sessions or scheduling a session in your region, please contact Missy Nunnery at mnunnery@doe.in.gov or 317-232-9025

Call for Applications: Committees and Advisory Groups

The IPSB is currently seeking applicants for appointment to the Teacher Education and Standards Committees. The term of service on committees is three years. We are also seeking applicants for two advisory groups. The advisory group for exceptional needs will review the current standards while the advisory group for bilingual/bicultural will write standards.

Applications are attached to this e-mail and also available on our Web site. If you have questions about either committee or work group, please contact Mary Glenn Rinne at mgrinne@doe.in.gov or 317-234-0959.

Did you know? In the six weeks the Friday Update has been on vacation, the IPSB has processed over 4,200 license applications. (If the Puzzler from Car Talk can go on vacation, so can the Friday Update.)