RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - June Atkinson's latest blog post looks ahead to2015 issues, and it's easily accessible as part of the Department of Public Instruction's latest edition of web highlights. Among her key issues is K-12 funding as the legislature begins to meet to discuss the General Fund budget, and grading issues.

You can find Atkinson's blog at www.ncpublicschools.org/statesuperintendent/blog/2015/20150105.

Other education issues and highlights for the new year include:
 

NCDPI Biennial Report for 2012-14 Now Online

The Biennial Report for the NCDPI is available on the Web at  
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/. “Momentum…Every Child Ready,” highlights our growth and success during 2012-14, as well as the Budget Request to the North Carolina General Assembly for 2015-17.

 
Teacher Feature New in the Home Base Toolbox
Check out our newest feature in the Home Base Toolbox – short videos that highlight how teachers are using Home Base’s Instructional Improvement System, SchoolNet, in their daily instruction. To view our inaugural video from Newton-Conover teacher James Frye, please visit  http://www.ncpublicschools.org/homebase/. If you’re a classroom teacher with an innovative SchoolNet instructional strategy that you would like to share, send an email to  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .


Exceptional Children Updates

*Spring Tuition Awards Available for Special Education Teachers*
Limited spring tuition awards are available for special education teachers working toward meeting provisional license requirements. Under this tuition program, employed bachelor-level special education teachers with a provisional license may receive the actual cost of tuition for one approved spring course to cover up to $140 per semester hour as long as they earn a final grade of "B" or higher. These costs are paid by the Exceptional Children Division on a reimbursement basis. If the tuition is above the $140 per semester hour rate, it will be the responsibility of the recipient to pay the difference. These awards are made on a first-come, first-served basis as long as federal grant funds are available. Copies of this application packet are available to download at  http://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/finance-grants/tuition-reimbursement/.

 
*State Advisory Council Announces Meeting Dates for 2015*
The 2015 meeting dates for the State Advisory Council on Educational Services for Exceptional Children are available on the Exceptional Children website at  http://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/advisory-council/upcoming-meetings . The meetings are held four times a year in Raleigh and are open to the public. Information also includes meeting times and locations.

 
*PRTFs Material on the Web*
Documents related to EC program approval for Psychiatric Residential Residential Treatment Facilities have been added to the Exceptional Children website at  http://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/policies/non-public-schools. The material includes information related to:


 *Report on Education Legislation (From the 2014 Session of the General Assembly)*
This includes summaries of all legislation affecting public education - individual bills, special provisions of the budget, and the “money report.”  It also includes copies of individually passed bills and relevant portions of the budget.  The book serves as a reference for legislation that will be codified until revised editions of the statutes are available. Please note: this report does not replace the "Public School Laws of North Carolina" publication.