Hello all,
I am delighted to share with you the recording link and resources from our November Secondary ELA webinar, "Meaningful Writing Assignments in the ELA Classroom" with Dr. Amber Jensen and Whitney Sorensen. This session was packed with insightful discussions and valuable information that I believe you will find very beneficial.
Access the webinar recording and resources<https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17a4qtJfyLDyWXU6xy7gcLkQsJMAS2IIn?us…>
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further assistance with any of the materials.
Save the date for December's webinar with USBE AI Specialist Matt Winters on Monday, December 16 from 4:00-5:00pm. More information will be shared about this opportunity soon.
Have a wonderful weekend!
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Join us for our second Secondary ELA Professional Learning Webinar of the 2024-25 school year. See attached flyer.
Wednesday, November 13 from 4:00 - 5:00pm
Meaningful Writing Assignments in the ELA Classroom
Presenters:
Amber Jensen | English Education Professor, Brigham Young University
Whitney Sorensen | English, Advanced Placement, & Creative Writing Teacher; English Department Head, Kwajalein Schools
In this interactive webinar, we invite teachers to consider the range of writing assignments in their classrooms and how to design assignments that are meaningful to students while meeting the writing standards. Drawing on examples from our own classrooms, we will offer strategies for imagining new or reimaging existing assignments to give meaning to your students' writing experiences.
All webinars are recorded and available for later viewing.
Register to attend live and/or receive the recording<https://schools-utah-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvceGhqTsjEtdXvhNhBSviC…>
Interested in earning 0.5 USBE credit? LEARN MORE<https://forms.gle/x7KfrvfZ3AoZeE16A>
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FYI, this email was sent today to your district /charter's representative for Sensitive Materials.
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Join the USBE Library Media list serve<https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/library-media>
LEAs have the duty to select instructional materials that best correlate to the core standards for Utah public schools and graduation requirements. (UCA 53G-4-402(1(a)). Posting of resources by USBE staff curriculum content specialists does not imply the resources have received official endorsement of the State Board. Educators are responsible to ensure use of these materials complies with LEA policies and directives.
________________________________
From: Davina Sauthoff <Davina.Sauthoff(a)schools.utah.gov<mailto:Davina.Sauthoff@schools.utah.gov>>
Sent: Thursday, November 7, 2024 4:27 PM
Subject: One additional title to be removed from Utah public schools
Dear LEA-appointed representatives for reporting sensitive materials,
We appreciate all your efforts in the implementation of §53G-10-103 and USBE. As required by §53G-10-103 and Board Rule R277-628, this email serves as communication by USBE to all LEAs that the following title has met the statewide threshold and should be removed from student access in all Utah public schools.
Living Dead Girl, by Elizabeth Scott
The entire list of titles to be removed from Utah public schools<https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQc_7uakPh4eRXrq0iVq-L2g-Bw…>, along with additional resources, can be found on the USBE library media website<https://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/librarymedia> under the "Sensitive Materials" tab. It will be updated regularly as any additional titles meet the statewide threshold
Please work with district leadership and all appropriate personnel to communicate this information to all educators and staff who this may affect.
I encourage you to reach out any time if you have any questions or concerns.
Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
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Join the USBE Library Media list serve<https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/library-media>
LEAs have the duty to select instructional materials that best correlate to the core standards for Utah public schools and graduation requirements. (UCA 53G-4-402(1(a)). Posting of resources by USBE staff curriculum content specialists does not imply the resources have received official endorsement of the State Board. Educators are responsible to ensure use of these materials complies with LEA policies and directives.
Greetings,
The Utah State Board of Education Licensing Team is seeking public comment on the DRAFT Special Education Preparation Competencies<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JGznJF2iguQH_Pvl1gaIkll7jpP6v0LlzncWD1a…>. These competencies will be required for all individuals to demonstrate in order to qualify for a Professional License in Special Education (K-12). They will inform the teacher preparation programs for universities and alternative preparation programs.
The Utah State Board of Education has shifted to a competency-based licensing system. The USBE Licensing specialists have worked with a variety of stakeholders including teachers, district leaders, and higher education representatives, to develop the Special Education Preparation Competencies.
We are seeking public comment no later than Sunday, December 8, 2024. To submit your comments, click the following link and submit the survey: https://usbe.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eJtjuzmS0aIzeEC.
Reach out to Jennifer Prince, Educator Preparation Competency Specialist at Jennifer. prince(a)schools.utah.gov<mailto:prince@schools.utah.gov> with questions.
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Greetings, Utah ELA Educators,
We are excited to announce Utah Aspire Plus (UA+) Reading assessment development workshop opportunity in December 2024. Below is a description of the UA+ Reading Passage Content Review Workshop. This workshop has a survey form to be completed for consideration to be selected to participate in the workshop. Please know that there is limited space, so all respondents are not guaranteed a spot. Committee participants are chosen to comprise an accurate representation of Utah educators across the state.
UA+ Reading Passage Content Review Workshop
Virtual Workshop Dates/times:
* Friday, December 6, 2024, 3:30-5:00pm MT - Committee Workshop Training
* Saturday, December 7 through Monday, December 16, 2024 - Independent Workshop Review
* Tuesday, December 17, 2024, 3:30 to 5:30pm MT - Committee Reconciliation/Post-Review Meeting
Reading Passage Review Grades 9 and 10
The purpose of the UA+ Reading Passage Content Review is for Utah educators to advise the Utah State Board of Education on the content of passages that will be field tested on the 2025-2026 UA+ Reading Summative Assessment. Educators review all test passages for the various components/aspects during the passage content review process, as follows:
* Grade level appropriateness
* Passage complexity
* Content accuracy
* Potential of content to provide opportunities to write items that align to the Utah State Core Standards
The virtual committee workshop training on Friday, December 6, 2024 covers all such aspects and reminds participants to be aware of any potential bias or sensitivity issues, even though those topics are not specifically their charge. Also during the virtual committee workshop training, we will cover the logistics for reviewing the content of passages and voting in the web-based item banking platform, ABBI (Assessment Banking and Building for Interoperable Assessments) as well as the resources to use during your review (e.g., checklists). Pearson content specialists facilitate these review meetings and include USBE content specialists in all meetings and post-meeting resolution. Committee participants will be given 10 days to independently complete the passage reviews before coming back together virtually on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 to reconcile all committee member's passage comments and concerns.
Location: Virtual, meeting links will be sent to confirmed participants
Dates and Times: Friday, December 6, 2024, 3:30-5:00pm MT - Committee Workshop Training, Saturday, December 7 through Monday, December 16, 2024 - Independent Workshop Review, and Tuesday, December 17, 2024, 3:30 to 5:30pm MT - Committee Reconciliation/Post-Review Meeting
Compensation/Substitute: Substitute reimbursement is offered to schools for teachers who participate in the meeting on school time. Please be sure to discuss this time out of the classroom/school with school administration. Educators whose school is not in session, or who use personal days for the meeting, may receive a stipend of $225 for the estimated 7.5 hours of work. Every educator who participates will receive 8 relicensure points.
Note: Participants will need a reliable device and Wi-Fi. Participants should have access to a secure and quiet location for the entirety of the meeting. Participants will be asked to be on camera for the meeting and are encouraged to ensure their computer is set up for this prior to the session.
To register for consideration to participate in the Virtual UA+ Grades 9-10 Reading Passage Content Review, please complete this survey by Monday, November 11, 2024 (you do not need to respond to this email unless you have any questions or concerns): UA+ Reading Content Passage Review Survey<https://forms.gle/3DEnfp3vcedwNWFE7>
We will let you know by Wednesday, November 13, 2024, if you are chosen to participate to make the appropriate arrangements.
Please know that there is limited space, so all respondents are not guaranteed a spot. Committee participants are chosen to comprise an accurate representation of Utah educators.
We appreciate you taking an active role in Utah's assessment development process.
Feel free to pass this information along to other ELA educators with expertise in the Utah Core ELA Standards and at least two full years of teaching experience. Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
Thanks for all you do!
Megan
Megan Lopez, M.Ed.
Education Specialist, Secondary English Language Arts|WIDA
A2A Program Manager
Assessment & Accountability
Utah State Board of Education
Phone: (801) 538-7723
Email: megan.lopez(a)schools.utah.gov<mailto:megan.lopez@schools.utah.gov>