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Hurricane Katrina Note: Please refresh your screen to ensure you are
1. Emergency Enrollment Procedures Return to Top Question. My school district has displaced families (living with friends or relatives or in shelters) wanting to enroll their children in school but all school records were lost or destroyed—How can the district get these children enrolled in school and make placement decisions? Answer. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act's Education for Homeless Children and Youth (ECHY) requires that schools must immediately enroll students in homeless situations, even if they do not have required documents, such as school records, medical records, proof of residency, or other documents. The term “enroll” is defined as attending classes and participating fully in school activities. Emergency Enrollment Procedures for Displaced and Homeless Children Who are “Physically Present” in the School District
Question. If a nearby school district is able to reopen their schools sooner than my local district, can I enroll my children in that district? Answer. No. Students may only enroll in the school district in which they are physically living. Primary Contact: Beth Sewell, 601-359-3764 or bsewell@mde.k12.ms.us 2. Requirements for Serving Homeless Children Return to Top Question. My district has an influx of displaced families with school age children—may the district set up separate classes or establish off-site classrooms or transitional classes to serve displaced children? Answer. No—the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act prohibits segregating or isolating homeless students from the general population. Homeless children must be educated as part of a school's regular academic program and integrated with their non-homeless counterparts in all programs and activities. Homeless students are eligible for transportation services, compensatory education services, bilingual education services, special education services, school meal programs, extracurricular activities (sports, band, etc.), or any other programs offered by the local school district. If a State receives funds under the McKinney-Vento program, every district in that State – whether or not it receives a McKinney-Vento subgrant from its SEA – is prohibited from segregating homeless students in separate schools or in separate programs within schools, based on the child's or youth's status as homeless. Staff in the Office of Innovative Support will work closely with each school district to assist with establishing services under the Homeless Act. Primary Contact: Nikisha Ware, 601-359-3499 or nware@mde.k12.ms.us Note: Participation in athletic and extracurricular activities is required by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. All districts need to assess all students for participation. For questions regarding extracurricular activities, contact Ennis Proctor or N. Z. Bryant at the Mississippi High School Activities Association, 601-924-6400. 3. Transfer of Students and Records Return to Top Question. How can my district get information and assistance regarding transfer of students into my district? Answer. The department is working to establish the most efficient means to execute the transfer process and will post additional information as it becomes available. Click on the following links to access information related to enrolling displaced students.
Primary Contact: Jolene Miesse, 601-359-3487 or jmiesse@mde.k12.ms.us 4. Requirements for School Year and Days Return to Top Question. What about the requirement to provide 180 teaching days? Answer. If the Governor or President has declared an emergency or major disaster to exist in the state, the State Board of Education may permit the school board to operate the schools in its district for less than 180 days and, in such case, the State Department of Education shall not reduce the state contributions to the adequate education program allotment for such district because of the failure to operate said schools for 180 days. See Section 37-151-7(3)(d) of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended . Question. How many of the 180 days will the State Board of Education approve for school districts to be forgiven? Answer. Section 37-151-7(3)(d) of the Mississippi Code, 1972 as amended, gives the State Board of Education the authority to grant waivers when catastrophic conditions exist that would not be economically feasible or practicable for the district to meet the full 180 teaching days as required by state law, State Board Policy, and Accreditation Standards. In a special called meeting on October 5, 2005, the State Board of Education approved a process that gives school districts local latitude to develop a plan for making up instructional time missed due to Hurricane Katrina. Any school district that is unable to meet the full one hundred eighty (180) day requirement shall submit a plan approved by the local school board to the Office of Accreditation by November 15, 2005, detailing how the district will meet the requirements listed below:
All plans submitted are subject to review and approval by the Mississippi Department of Education. Any district that receives an adverse response to its plan may appeal to the State Board of Education. Question. My child only missed a few days of school because he/she enrolled and is attending school in another district while we are displaced/homeless—If we move back to our home district on the coast, will my children be required to attend school to make up those days missed in that district? Answer. Students will follow the schedule and calendar of the district where they are physically enrolled. Primary Contact: Beth Sewell, 601-359-3764 or bsewell@mde.k12.ms.us 5. Other Operational Issues Return to Top Question. If my school district cannot operate due to the lack of electricity, clean drinking water, fuel to run school buses and fuel to get teachers to work, will the Governor's declaration of a statewide emergency apply to my school district? Answer. Yes. The Governor has issued a statewide declaration of emergency, and impacted districts can declare an emergency that allows for the suspension of state laws and policies. Such suspension of laws provides flexibility to state and local governmental entities so that your school district can react immediately to the situation of your areas . If fuel shortages continue, districts that are able to reopen may have to operate on an alternate schedule either temporarily or for the remainder of the school year. It would be advisable for the district to discuss the emergency process with the school board attorney, if possible. Primary Contact: Robert Campbell, 601-359-1028 or rcampbell@mde.k12.ms.us 6. Displaced Teachers and Other School Employees Return to Top Question. If I am a displaced employee and cannot get in contact with my local district, what do I do? Answer. The MDE has established a “Hurricane Katrina Disaster Page” on the Department's website which is updated daily. Links are posted for “Communications from Districts” and “School Opening Dates” for school districts to post current information. The MDE has also established a link for “Displaced District Educators and Employees” to facilitate communications between displaced personnel and their school district. To add your name on the displaced school employees' list, please visit http://webapps.mde.k12.ms.us/survey/takeSurvey.asp?surveyID=33 and provide the following basic identifying information:
Question. Who do I contact if I am interested in teaching in a Mississippi school district? Answer. Please contact the Mississippi Teacher Center at 601 359-3631 or visit our website at www.mde.k12.ms.us/mtc. Question. Can MS displaced educators work as a substitute teacher while waiting to return to their permanent teaching position at their respective school district? Answer. Yes, teachers can serve as substitute teachers on an as needed basis while waiting to return to their permanent positions. Teachers should not enter into a new contract, including a contract for substitute teaching, with a Mississippi school district while still under an existing local school district contract. Question. Can MS displaced educators work under a contract in another Mississippi school district temporarily until it's time to return to their respective school district? Answer. If you are released from your existing contract with a Mississippi school district, you may enter into a new temporary and/or permanent contract. Please note that all teachers currently under a teaching contract will continue to receive their salary. Teachers cannot work under two contracts in our state. Question: Can Mississippi teachers who are displaced in other states work under a temporary and/or permanent contract for an out of state school district? Answer: Generally, a teacher accepting either temporary and/or permanent employment with an out of state district should seek a release for the applicable time period from his or her current Mississippi school district. As noted above, a teacher cannot work under two contracts, regardless of whether the second contract is with an out of state school district. We want to encourage all displaced teachers to keep in contact with the Mississippi school district with which you are currently under contract and to maintain the ability to return to that district when it is time. Primary Contact: Wesley Williams, 601-359-3631 or wwilliams@mde.k12.ms.us 7. Contracts and Pay Return to Top Question. I have not received my paycheck or the funds have not been electronically deposited to my account for last month—how can I get paid? Answer. First, continue trying to contact your local school district and/or banking institution. If you are unable to contact your school district, contact the MDE for assistance. The MDE has established a “Hurricane Katrina Disaster Page” on the Department's website which includes a link for “Communications from Districts” for school districts to post current information. Question. Will MAEP funds be reduced due to decreased enrollment and will the school districts be able to pay their teachers for the full year if schools are not able to reopen for 180 teaching days? Answer. See the answer to item #4 above. Based on waivers granted under the emergency provisions, the MAEP funds would not be reduced and the district would be able to pay teachers for the full school year. However, once schools are reopened, some districts may find a greatly reduced number of students, which could impact the number of instructional positions needed to operate the district for the remainder of the year. Question. I am a displaced teacher—should I relocate and accept another job? Answer. School employees who are under current contracts would need to obtain a release from their school district before signing a new contract with another district. The MDE has established a “Hurricane Katrina Disaster Page” on the Department's website which includes a link for “Communications from Districts” for school districts to post current information. Question. Do school districts have the authority to pay non-certified employees? Answer. Based on the Proclamation of State of Emergency issued by Governor Haley Barbour, the governor has granted the authority to appointing entities to grant administrative leave with pay to state employees affected by Hurricane Katrina. Thus, a local school board may adopt a leave policy to respond to the needs created by this natural disaster that grants administrative leave with pay to non-licensed employees. Superintendents may implement the policy, which will permit non-licensed and hourly paid employees to be placed on administrative leave with pay and will permit school districts to continue corresponding benefits such as insurance. The MDE has established a “Hurricane Katrina Disaster Page” on the Department's website which includes a link for “Communications to Districts” for the MDE to post current information. Go to “Communications to Districts” and select “Letters and Memos for Districts” to view the memo dated September 9, 2005, concerning Administrative Leave Information. Question. Do school boards have the authority to grant the use of sick leave to employees affected by the hurricane? Answer. Sick leave may only be used if the employee or an immediate family of the employee is sick or injured. Primary Contact: Todd Ivey, 601-359-3294 or tivey@mde.k12.ms.us 8. Procurement Process for Building and Rebuilding Facilities Return to Top Question. What is the procurement process for building or rebuilding facilities that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina? Answer. Current emergency procurement law exempts repair projects from the normal procurement process, including advertising and bids. However, questions have arisen as to whether construction projects fall under the exemption provisions. The Department of Finance and Administration has requested an opinion on this question from the Attorney General's Office, and additional information will be provided as soon as an opinion has been issued. If your district is contemplating beginning construction without following the normal construction procurement procedures, the MDE suggest that you do not proceed until the AG's opinion is rendered. There is no issue involved if your district elects to follow normal procurement procedures in the construction of buildings. Primary Contact: Todd Ivey, 601-359-3294 or 9. Child Nutrition Programs Return to Top Question. How can the district provide school food services beyond the normal cafeteria setting? Answer. Suggestions are outlined below.
Question. Can districts feed all children free at school? Answer. In areas where schools have resumed operation, USDA has granted a waiver exception to the School Lunch and School Breakfast Regulations. Schools in the disaster area unable to maintain normal accountability systems and which are able to operate will be allowed to serve all meals free to attending children. This waiver is valid through September 30, 2005. Households certified for emergency food stamps are automatically eligible for free meals. When there are large numbers of homeless families and children because of property loss or damage, school officials may keep a list to document free meal eligibility, in lieu of individual applications. The MDE has established a “Hurricane Katrina Disaster Page” on the Department's website which includes a link for “Communications to Districts” for the MDE to post current information. Go to “Communications to Districts” and select “Letters and Memos for Districts” to view the memo dated August 31, 2005, concerning Emergency Feeding of School Children in Areas Devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Question. How do districts handle requests to feed evacuee families 3 meals per day at school and to prepare meals for shelters? Answer. The Office of Child Nutrition is currently working to get a written response to this question from the national USDA office. We will post additional information on our website as we receive guidance. www.cn.mde.k12.ms.us Question. Can I serve meals in a cafeteria that has a boil water notice? Answer. Yes, under the following circumstances. All water must be boiled. Water should not be consumed that has not been boiled. If you are on a boil water notice, be certain that the children do not drink water that has not been boiled. This applies to hand washing also. If a child washes their hands with untreated water they can still get sick if they put their hands in their mouth. Offer bottled water when available and contact your local Health Department Environmentalist. Question . How do I contact my local MEMA County Coordinator? Answer. Go to our website and select “Hurricane Katrina Notes”, then select MEMA Local Primary Contact: Gary May, 601-354-7015 or garymay@mde.k12.ms.us 10. Facilities, Re-locatable Classrooms, and Classroom Equipment/Supplies Return to Top Question. The existing school facilities were damaged or destroyed—how can my district obtain re-locatable classrooms in order to reestablish school services as quickly as possible? Answer. With assistance from Governor Hailey Barbour's office, FEMA is providing 400 portable classrooms. Also, the MDE is exploring all options concerning purchasing and/or leasing portable units. Several vendors have been contacted, and the normal delivery for a unit from the time of placing the order to receiving the unit is approximately three weeks; however, all vendors emphasized that placing an order for a guaranteed number of pre-sold units would expedite the delivery date, and they could add another shift at the manufacturing plant to double the number of units produced. Also, districts may receive assistance from their insurance carrier and/or MEMA/FEMA to help offset the cost of units needed per site. The approximate cost per unit to include delivery and setup is as follows:
Approved Relocatable Classroom Vendors are:
The MDE will also explore and post information concerning other currently available units as soon as additional information is available. Question. Where do I get information on the surplus equipment for classrooms to include student desks, teacher desks, chairs, computers and miscellaneous supplies? Answer. MDE will coordinate that effort by contacting school districts across the country. For additional information, contact the Office of School Buildings. Primary Contact: Robert Campbell, 601-359-1028 or rcampbell@mde.k12.ms.us 11. Transportation Services Return to Top Question. The school buses were damaged and the district does not have adequate transportation services available—how can the MDE assist the district in locating available buses to reopen schools as quickly as possible? Answer. The MDE is securing surplus buses from across the State and Southeast. Once your needs are determined please let MDE know how many buses you need to transport your students. Please contact the MDE Division of Pupil Transportation as indicated below. Question. I have surplus school buses that I would like to donate to school districts in need as a result of Hurricane Katrina? Answer. Arrangements will be made to get surplus buses to the districts in need of transportation. For more additional information, please contact the MDE Division of Pupil Transportation. Primary Contact: Leonard Swilley, 601-359-1028 or lphillips@mde.k12.ms.us 12. Donations (Supplies, Materials, Equipment) and Adopt-A-School Question. How can groups, businesses, and individuals donate supplies, materials and equipment to school districts affected by the hurricane? Answer. We are currently identifying each district's needs so that we can match each need with the appropriate offering. This will be ongoing as we receive additional requests from affected school districts. The “Offering Assistance” link contains a Hurricane Katrina Assistance Form . Please complete and submit the form online. For more information contact Bill Welch, 601-359-1028, or email bwelch@mde.k12.ms.us or Dennis Meador, 601-359-1028, or email dmeador@mde.k12.ms.us . Question. Who should groups, businesses, or individuals contact to adopt-a-school affected by the hurricane? Answer. If you are interested in adopting a Mississippi school, please do so at the MSBA website, www.msbaonline.org , at the “MS Hurricane Katrina Adopt-A-School Effort.” MSBA is working with their National Office as a clearinghouse on this effort. For more information contact Dr. Michael Waldrop, MSBA Executive Director toll free, 1-888-367-6722, or email mwaldrop@msbaonline.org . Question. Who should groups, businesses, and individuals contact if they would like to provide more immediate assistance through a cash donation, which is greatly needed by our school districts? Answer. The MDE asks that groups, businesses and individuals consider giving to one of the following two funds:
Question. Who should I contact if my district/school needs classroom supplies, equipment, textbooks, library books, etc? Answer. The “School Districts Needs” link contains the District/School Needs Form that should be completed by the district/school and submitted online. Primary Contact: Bill Welch, 601-359-1028 or bwelch@mde.k12.ms.us 13. Communications Return to Top Question. What process has been established for the MDE to communicate with school districts? Answer. The Public Relations Office is utilizing all available means of communication including, e-mail, phone, radio, websites, television, to provide extensive communication to school districts and the public. The MDE has established a “Hurricane Katrina Disaster Page” on the Department's website which is updated daily with current information. The web page includes a link for “Communications to Districts” for the MDE to post current information. Go to “Communications to Districts” and select “Letters and Memos for Districts” to view the list of posted memos and letters. Also check other available links for the following: School Opening Dates; Press Releases; Status of MDE Conferences, meetings, and deadlines; and Other News and Information. Primary Contact: Caron Blanton , 601-359-3519 or cblanton@mde.k12.ms.us 14. Instructional Programs and Services Return to Top Question. How does the MDE plan to assist local school districts and where can I get information regarding assistance with instructional programs and services? Answer. The MDE is exploring all possible options available to assist local school districts. Margaret Spellings and Henry Johnson at USDE have been contacted concerning federal aid to assist school districts.
15. Textbooks and Library Materials Return to Top Question. What funds are available to assist schools with replacing textbooks that were destroyed due to Hurricane Katrina? Answer. Textbooks destroyed due to Hurricane Katrina will qualify for reimbursement.
Question. What funds are available to assist school districts that need additional textbooks due to an influx of displaced students enrolling in the district due to Hurricane Katrina? Answer. Funds to purchase additional textbooks due to the increased enrollment of displaced students have not been approved by the federal government at this time. However, the U.S. Department of Education is proposing up to $1.9 billion in funding to school districts enrolling at least 10 displaced children. Funding would be granted for the 2005-2006 school year based on the number of displaced students enrolled multiplied by up to 90% of the state's average per pupil expenditure for education, with a maximum annual payment of $7,500 per child. The proposal can be viewed in its entirety at www.hurricanehelpforschools.gov or call 1-800-USA-LEARN. Additional information will be posted when it becomes available. Question. Will there be a Textbook Adoption this year? Answer. In order give local school districts the flexibility of purchasing replacement and overage textbooks based on current instructional and student population demands, this year's textbook adoption has been cancelled for the following areas: English/Language Arts, Handwriting, Spelling, Dictionaries, Family and Consumer Science, and Health and Physical Education. Primary Contact: Kim Esco-Collins at 601-359-3631 or 601-354-7543 or kesco@mde.k12.ms.us Question. Where can I get additional information and assistance concerning textbooks and/or library materials? Answer. Primary and secondary contacts are listed below for each area. Textbooks. For additional information concerning Textbooks, contact: Primary Contact: Kim Esco-Collins at 601-359-3631 or 601-354-7543 or kesco@mde.k12.ms.us Library Materials. For additional information concerning Library Materials contact: Primary Contact: Judy Couey, 601-359-2586 or jcouey@mde.k12.ms.us 16. Counseling Services Return to Top Question. How can the MDE assist the coastal area school districts in providing counseling services for students and school staff? Answer. Response teams of qualified school counselors can be made available to individual school districts that request crisis counseling by contacting Martha Garrett or Gail Simmons as listed below. Also, the following web sites provide crisis response resources for administrators, teachers, counselors, students, and parents: Primary Contact: Martha Garrett, 601-359- 5743 or mgarrett@mde.k12.ms.us Question. Are any additional funds available to assist the local school districts in providing c ounseling services for students? Answer. Mississippi will receive approximately $1.7 million for Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) funds, and discretionary grants will be awarded to local school districts. LEAS may use these funds to establish or expand elementary and secondary school counseling programs. The funds will support hiring and training of qualified school counselors, school psychologists, adolescent psychiatrists, and/or school social workers. Specific details and grant application forms are posted on the MDE Katrina website at http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/Katrina/districts/index.html under “Communications to Districts” and “Letters and Memos for Districts” dated October 10, 2005. See Mississippi Project SERV Letter and Mississippi Project SERV Application. To be considered, an original application and three unstapled copies must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on October 19, 2005. Faxed copies will not be accepted. No late applications will be considered. Primary Contact: Nikisha Ware, 601-359- 3499 or
17. Seniors and Graduation Return to Top Question. What about seniors—will they be able to graduate this year? Answer. Yes—Based on waivers granted under the emergency provisions, the requirements for the number of teaching days and Carnegie unit hours may also be waived due to a major disaster. See answer for item #4 above. Based on approved school board policy, local school districts have the authority to issue a standard high school diploma to any student who meets the minimum graduation requirements as approved by the State Board of Education. Current graduation requirements are outlined in Revised Appendix A which is posted on the Office of Accreditation web page at www.mde.k12.ms.us/accred/accred.html. Primary Contact: Beth Sewell, 601-359-3764 or bsewell@mde.k12.ms.us 18. Special Education Students and Services Return to Top Question. My child has a disability-how can I get special education services? Answer. Contact the special education director in your local school district to request services or call the Office of Special Education as listed below for assistance. Question. How can school districts serve displaced students whose parents are requesting special education services? Answer. Mississippi students should be treated as any other in-state transfer for providing special education services; however, if the district cannot be contacted to verify eligibility, contact Ellen Burnham at eburnham@mde.k12.ms.us and she will check MSIS. For both in and out of state students, temporary IEPs should be developed and services provided until students can be evaluated, if necessary. IEPs for students from Mississippi districts using SEAS for IEP development may be viewed by the receiving district under secure conditions. Contact Emily Sanders at SEAS by phone at 877-221-7327 or via e-mail at emily@seasweb.net. For students from Louisiana, go to http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/misc/studentrequest.html, complete the request forms and email to the named contact person to receive eligibility information. Question. What if my school district does not have a program in place that is appropriate for low-incidence students transferring into the district? Answer. It may be that a surrounding district has a program or has also received students with similar needs and a collaborative agreement can be reached among districts to provide services. Contact other districts in your area to discuss an interagency agreement or consortium to provide services. Question. What about class size restrictions? Answer. Under the Governor's and State Board of Education's declarations of emergency, class size limits are waived. We know that school districts will exercise prudent judgment in determining reasonable limits for the number of students special education teachers can serve, based on the needs of students. Question. Will MDE waive the 540 hours of paid employment required for students to receive a Mississippi Occupational Diploma? Answer. The number of hours will not be reduced, but for displaced students who have transferred or for districts that were severely damaged by the hurricane, non-paid hours related to the student's employment goal may count toward meeting the requirement. Primary Contact: Melody Bounds, 601-359-3498 or mbounds@mde.k12.ms.us 19. Local School Board Return to Top Question. Can the local school board take action during the Hurricane Katrina crisis if a quorum is not present? Answer. Yes. If the available board member(s) determine that an emergency exists they can take action as needed, including telephone conferences, to respond to the emergency. It is essential that all action be carefully documented. Primary Contact: Steve Williams, 601-359-2038 or swilliams@mde.k12.ms.us 20. How to Contact FEMA and MEMA Return to Top Question. How do I contact Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding damages in my school district? Answer. To initiate your request, contact the State emergency operation center – education desk at (601) 965-2611, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily . In addition, you can contact your local county emergency management agency. A listing of all local emergency county emergency management agencies is located on the MDE Hurricane Katrina Disaster page, which can be accessed from the main MDE homepage. Also, the State Superintendent has requested from FEMA an education contact source and MDE will keep you posted on our direct involvement with FEMA. Primary Contact: Regina Ginn, 601-359-1737 or rginn@mde.k12.ms.us 21. General Information Return to Top Question. I have questions that were not addressed—whom could I contact? Answer. The MDE has established a Hurricane Katrina Recovery Hotline at 1-866-856-2213 that will be staffed from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Primary Contact: Beth Sewell, 601-359-3764 or bsewell@mde.k12.ms.us 22. Statewide Testing and Accountability Return to Top Question. Will school districts still be held accountable for meeting all No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements this school year? Answer. U. S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has sent a letter to all Chief State School Officers outlining temporary options for states that have been affected by Hurricane Katrina regarding accountability provisions in No Child Left Behind's (NCLB) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirement.
Under both options listed above, states must still “comply with current NCLB requirements for assessment, accountability, and reporting. All students, including displaced students, must be tested on state assessments, and states must ensure that their policies help schools and districts meet the AYP target of testing at least 95 percent of students.” A copy of the letter, which provides more information on these options, may be viewed at http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/secletter/050929.html. Question. Will school districts be required to administer state tests this year? Answer. Yes. One reason that testing will continue is that students, parents, teachers, and schools still need to know how students are achieving, and this information is needed for effective instructional planning for the next school year. A second reason is that Subject Area Tests are required for graduation, and students still need to meet these graduation requirements. Fortunately, there are still several opportunities for students to test and to receive remediation if necessary. To provide some relief to the challenges presented by Hurricane Katrina, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has suspended the administration of the grades 3 and 7 Mississippi Curriculum Test (MCT) retest, grades 4 and 7 Writing Assessment, grade 6 TerraNova , and the grades 5 and 8 Science Test for the 2005-06 school year. These assessments are not required by state or federal law. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has made a request to the U.S. Department of Education that schools and districts would not be put into improvement status under AYP based on the 2005-06 test results. Question. If the grades 3 and 7 retest given in January is suspended for the 2005-06 school year, does that mean that the Grades 3 and 7 Benchmark policy (IIC-4) is also suspended? Answer . No. The grades 3 and 7 retest is only one part of the policy. The intent of the policy is that the achievement of each student is carefully reviewed prior to being promoted from the elementary grades to the middle grades and from the middle grades to high school. Districts should still follow the process in the policy. The difference will be that students will not take a retest in January, and the External School Review Teams will not have the retest scores to use as part of the information in making a promotion/retention recommendation. Since there will not be a grades 3 and 7 retest, the district should establish criteria for determining which students should be reviewed by the External School Review Team. The district may consider student performance on district assessments as part of these criteria in lieu of the state retest. Question. Some students did not participate in the online makeup test administration for English II Multiple-Choice scheduled for August 29-31, 2005. Will they get an opportunity to take a makeup test? Answer. Yes. We deeply regret the frustration experienced by your students during the English II Multiple-Choice online test administration in August. We will provide an additional online English II test administration for students. This test administration will occur at a date to be determined after the October 2005 online test administration. We felt it was in everyone's best interest to have some time for all of us to adjust to the challenges presented by Hurricane Katrina before scheduling this makeup test administration. We are working on a plan for those of you who may not be able to participate in the online test administration. Primary Contact: Cindy Simmons, 601-359-3052 or crsimmons@mde.k12.ms.us 23. Additional Issues which the Department of Education is currently developing a response Return to Top
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