WELCOME BACKIowa Educational Services for the

Blind and Visually Impaired (IESBVI)August 16, 2013

Agenda for the morning

• Welcome and Introductions• Celebrations• Initiatives• Policies and Procedures• Trainings• Updates• Lunch!!!• 1:30 returned to afternoon assignment

Staff Updates

Best Wishes:• Judye Cooper• Rita Best-Eschen

Welcome:• Dr. Susan Brennan – Deaf-Blind Education

Consultant• Nancy Henderson – TVI (Heartland)

Strategic Plan

2010-2016

• Students perform at high levels• Students gain independence in areas of the

Expanded Core Curriculum• Students progress with Braille instruction• Students are prepared at graduation for

employment and/or post-secondary education

• We continue to become more efficient

Students perform at high levels

Target. Increase by 15% the number of students served by the Statewide System for Vision Services (in conjunction with other partners) who meet

or exceed state academic standards in reading by 2016.

2007-09 2008-10 2009-11 2010-120

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

# reading% reading

Target. Increase by 15% the number of students served by the Statewide System for Vision Services (in conjunction with other partners) who meet

or exceed state academic standards in mathematics by 2016.

2007-09 2008-10 2009-11 2010-120

20

40

60

80

100

120

# mathematics% mathematics

Students gain independence in areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum

Target. All students will have an opportunity to access regional services for needs in the expanded core curriculum, as based on needs assessment and Individual Education Programs.

Greater than 11 percent increase in participation from 2011-2012 with a 12% increase in unduplicated count participation.

*Braille. All students using Braille for reading and writing will increase their Braille literacy skills. Students will increase their Braille literacy skills by an average of 75 percent by 2016.*Baseline data was gathered in May 2011 and annual progress data

gathered May 2012 and 2013.

*76% percent of the students made at least 15 percent increase in skills from their baseline scores representing a 4% increase from 2012.

2011-12 1012-1370%

71%

72%

73%

74%

75%

76%

77%

>15% increase ABLS

>15% increase ABLS

Students are prepared at graduation for employment and/or post-secondary education

Target. Increase to 100% the students who have transition goals and outcomes in place by age 16 including appropriate measurable postsecondary goals that are annually updated and based upon an age appropriate transition assessment, transition services, including courses of study, that will reasonable enable the student to meet those postsecondary goals, and annual IEP goals related to the student’s transition service needs.

2007-08 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-130

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

% transition

% transition

We continue to become more efficient

Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Working Toward Statewide Standards

of Practice (Operationalizing the Strategic Plan)

August 16, 2013

FoundationPreferred FutureStrategic PlanFeasibility and PlanningQuality Programs for students with Visual Impairments (QPVI)

PD/classesLeadership Cadre

Mission Statement

Our mission is to enable Iowa's students who are blind or visually

impaired to function as independently as possible in all

aspects of life by providing appropriate educational

opportunities, resources, and support services.

What are Standards of Practice?Standards of Practice are those best

practices that we, collectively at IESBVI, agree should be standard and thus expected of our services across the state.

Whether your role is TVI, OMS, Consultant, Regional Director, Superintendent of IESBVI/ISD, or Cabinet member, the expectation is that the Standards of Practice are evident in services provided to students, families, and LEA/AEA staff.

The Standards of Practice will insure that a student receiving services anywhere in the state of Iowa will have the same opportunities for learning regardless of their location.

Tying it all together…

Standards of Practice

StudentAchievement

ECC

TransitionLiterac

y

Math

Across all Content Areas*Technology*Coaching/Consulting *Use of Data

Who will plan the work?Leadership Cadre:4 TVIs2 OMSConsultantsLeadership Team

“Quality is never an accident…It is always the result of high

intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful

execution. It represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

-Will Foster

Feasibility and Planning Study Committee - Purpose

Students who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired in Iowa• Future planning for effective and efficient

services statewide– Administrative– Programmatic

Feasibility and Planning Study Committee – Make-up

• Recommended the establishment of Regional Programs statewide

• Affirmed the importance of Iowa School for the Deaf

Feasibility and Planning Study Committee - Timeline

• Study conducted summer and fall 2012• Recommendations to the BOR by winter 2012• Recommendations to the legislature by the

Department of Management by 2013 legislative session

• Planning for implementation from fall 2014• Implementation to follow the legislative action

– Phased in over two-five years.

Regional Program Planning

• Management Team for Blind and Visually Impaired +• Executive Team for Deaf and Hard of Hearing =• Leadership Team for Deaf and Blind

Regional Program Planning

• Planning began in February 2013• Recommendations to the BOR in September

2013• Recommendations and requests to the

legislature during the 2014 session• Planning for implementation fall 2014• Phased in over three-four years.

Policies and Procedures

• Handbook and Forms• New timecard process• Business functions update• Technology update• Remote site

Policy and Procedure Updates

Employee Handbook• Now located on the public website• Accessible by section or available as one

complete handbook

Forms• Now located on the public website

– Faculty Resources– Forms

Policy and Procedure Updates

Password Policy (Policy 3.26)

• Majority of employees must change their password every 180 days– Only those employees connected to the Vinton campus network (on-

campus or using VPN) will be given automatic 14-day notice– Employees not regularly connected to the Vinton campus network should

set a calendar reminder to reset their password.

• How to Reset Password:– On-Campus Employees – Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE– Off-Campus Employees with an IESBVI PC – Launch VPN and then press

CTRL+ALT+DELETE– Off-Campus Employees with AEA PC – Log in to Outlook Web Access and

select “Options,” then “Change Password”

Policy and Procedure Updates

Annual Calendar (Policy 3.1)• New Annual Calendar Form for Faculty

– Similar layout and look as last form – PDF format with automatic calculations

• Calendar Procedure1. Complete calendar and submit to Rita Mahan by September 12. Rita will facilitate approval process with Regional Director3. Rita will maintain ALL faculty calendars during the school year4. Calendar Change requests should be submitted to Regional Director

• Regional Director will forward approved calendar changes to Rita and she will update your annual calendar

Annual Calendar will now be used as payroll record

Policy and Procedure Updates

Salary Exception Reporting (Policy 13.11)• Staff Absence Report, Faculty Payroll Form, and ESY

Timesheet have been replaced with a single form.

• All Salaried Employees will use the same form.

• New Form - “Salary Exception Report”– Use for reporting absences AND additional work– Automated form – clicking “Submit” button will generate

email in Outlook and attach completed form

Policy and Procedure Updates

Salary Exception Reporting Process (Policy 13.11)

1. Last Friday (morning) of Pay Cycle – Rita Mahan will send an email asking if you have exceptions to your approved annual calendar.

2. Vote “Yes” or “No” by following Monday at 9 a.m.

3. If “No” – You’re done!If “Yes” – Submit a Salary Exception Report to Rita

Information Technology Updates

• CRM• Outlook • Security and Password

CRM

• Changes to Service Page and Caseload Report• Caseload Report will calculate and total service, travel and

material prep time once data is moved into new fields (Mid September completion).

• IEP data to be downloaded in place of manual data entry. (Regional admins will discuss this afternoon).

• CRM database upgrade this fall to allow other browsers (Mozilla Firefox, Chrome, etc.) Until then, disallow Internet Explorer from upgrading to version 10 and remove 10 to return to version 9. (Assistance on request).

Information Technology Updates

Outlook

• No longer forwarding IESBVI/IBS mail to AEA• To reduce paperwork, voting feature will be

used by Business Office, HR.• Staff who use iPads, iPhones, Blackberries,

webmail, etc. will need to answer the voting buttons in the Windows version of Outlook.

Information Technology Updates

Security – Password Changes

• 180 day password change rule (audit requirement).

• Off campus staff who have IBS PC’s need Cisco VPN installed. This greatly simplifies the password change process.

• Campus network ports restricted to IBS devices only. Wi-Fi restrictions coming. (Guest vs. IBS Devices only.)

Information Technology Updates

• More efficient and effective• Mutual benefit• Contracted and salaried employees• Voluntary – privilege• Approval for an employee to work from an

alternative site• Application by September 1, 2013• Not to be confused with flexible scheduling• Mileage and mail from an agency center

Remote Worksite Program

Trainings

Fall Vision Conference – October 7&8, 2013

Outlook trainingAEA sponsored trainings

Updates• Extended Learning• Low Vision Clinics• Assistive Device Center• Facilities

Have a GREAT year with Iowa’s Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired!

Reminder:ICN Sessions will resume at 1:30 for all facultyConsultants will meet at 1:30 in Room 118 at IBS