DALGE COVID-19 Program Updates

As we continue remote learning, in light of COVID-19 and the extended school building closures, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is providing some FAQs regarding Credit by Demonstrated Mastery, CCRE-001.  CDM remains an instructional practice that will help us to differentiate and accelerate students who have a clearly expressed need. 

Q: What do we do with students who successfully completed Phase 1 of the CDM process and were moving into phase 2? 

A: The expectation from the state level is that students who were successful with Phase 1 of the process this spring will be working to complete Phase 2, even with remote learning.  We are working with districts and charter schools on a case by case basis to provide guidance around how to complete the process, since there is local flexibility in how a district or charter might structure the Phase 2 attempts.  Again, the expectation remains that if a student was successful with Phase 1 this spring, districts should be making all efforts to ensure students can complete phase 2 of the process in order to inform course placement for the upcoming school year.  Additionally, districts and charter schools are expected to submit CDM documentation to the Regional Accountability Coordinator for Phase 2 completion of a course with an end of course (EOC) test prior to the end of the accountability year calendar, July 6, 2020. 

Q:  When will there be a decision made about the summer testing window for EOC and Career and Technical Education (CTE) exams?

A:  Even though we do not know the impacts of COVID-19 for July, NCDPI plans on maintaining the CDM summer testing window for state administered assessments.  The EOC tests will be available for the CDM summer testing window (July 20-31, 2020) and can be administered if restrictions are lifted and face-to face administrations can be done safely.  CTE courses requiring a CTE state assessment for the 2020-21 academic year will be available, following the same guidance for EOC tests.  Much of this will be determined as state re-entry plans evolve.  However, districts and charter schools can utilize a locally developed exam to provide a summer assessment window for any non EOC or non CTE course.

Q:  What do we do about students who attempted English II and were anticipating a score this summer to determine next steps?  

A:  For those students who attempted English II this spring, the CDM process will be completed after the State Board of Education (SBE) approves the standard setting of the English II EOC. Standard setting will be completed in August, recommended to the SBE in September and presented for approval to the SBE in October.  This process will mirror what occurred with the NC Math 1 and NC Math 3 score release in 2018–19.     

Q: Are districts able to develop a local exam for the new American History course? 

A: Yes.  Districts will be able to develop a local exam addressing the standards of the new American History course to utilize for CDM purposes.  However, the district or charter will need to utilize the SBE approved standards in developing the exam.  NCDPI will present the standards to the SBE again in June 2020. 

April 29, 2020

Dear AP Colleagues,

Additional information is now available to help guide you and your students through the AP exam experience. If you have any questions about information below, please email Kathleen Koch, Senior Director of the NC AP Partnership.

New Resources

• 2020 AP Testing Guide (.pdf/10.9 MB): The guide, designed for educators to walk their students through test day, provides information about logistics around exam day.
• 2020 AP Exam Day Checklist (.pdf/526 KB): Teachers should have their students complete this checklist for each exam they take and keep it next to them while testing.
• Explainer Videos: New videos are available to give students quick, easily accessible information about their test day experience, what they need to do to prepare, exam security, and more. Explore the playlist.

Other Reminders

AP Exam Demo (available May 4): AP students should use the clickable exam demo to practice the different ways to submit their exam responses. The demo will help students confirm that their testing device will be able to access and run the online exam. If they can’t access the demo, the final slide of the Testing Guide can help them troubleshoot. The sample content in the demo will be the same for all users and isn't a practice exam. We’ll send educators and students an email to remind them when the demo is available. Please encourage your students to take this important preparation step.

Educator Webinars: Trevor Packer, the head of the AP Program, will walk participants through the 2020 AP Testing Guide. AP staff will answer questions during the presentation.

This series of webinars includes:

• Discipline-specific webinars for AP teachers, April 28–30
• Updates for AP coordinators webinar, May 1
• An exam day webinar for school counselors, May 4

Online AP Classes and Review Sessions prep week: The week before exams, online AP classes will focus on the exam day experience and sample exam questions.

Student Outreach: If any of your students are having difficulty receiving College Board emails, walk them through the steps on the "Confirm your email address" page.

Information for AP Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish Language and Culture Exams: These exams will be administered using a new dedicated app, the AP World Languages Exam App. Students taking these exams must use this app on smartphones or tablets. This free app will be available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store the week of May 11. We’ll email students and their teachers to let them know when the app is available to download. Visit our site for more details. If your students are unsure about accessing the app, or if they don’t have a device, they can fill out this survey (or you can complete it on their behalf) as soon as possible so we can help support them (applicable to U.S. and U.S. territories).

Information for AP Music Theory Exams: Before exam day, students will need to print or hand copy the 2020 Music Theory Answer Sheet and gain access to an audio recording app or software before exam day. Please see more information on the website.

Thank you so much for all you are doing to reach out to encourage and support your AP students during this unprecedented time. This example of grace and generosity is invaluable. Thank you again and again. Please contact me if you have questions or need support as well.

Take care and stay well,

Beth Cross,

NCDPI State Consultant,

Advanced Learning and Gifted Education

April 15, 2020

Dear AP/IB/CIE Coordinators,

Thank you so much for all you are doing for the students in North Carolina's public schools!  Below are updates for our Advanced Placement Programs and International Baccalaureate Programmes in NC. 

Update from College Board- NC AP Partnership

In the weeks leading up to the start of AP testing on May 11, we want to ensure you have the information you need to continue helping your students prepare to take this year's exam.

We have identified 3 of the most critical actions you and your AP Coordinators can take in the coming days to help students and teachers.

1. Assist Students with AP Exam Access & Support

Please partner with us to ensure that AP students feel ready to take the AP Exam in May and are equipped to experience online AP Exam testing.

• AP Exams will take place May 11-22, with make-up exams June 1-5. The AP Exam schedule and details about each individual AP Exam, including supports of LIVE AP Class Review Sessions and the My AP Classroom practices can be found here: https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/educators/taking-the-exams/ap-exam-schedule 
• Help students work through the remaining course content and/or encourage them to participate in live online classes and review sessions.
• Let your students know about the technology they'll need to test and have them, or a caring adult, contact us by April 24 if they need devices or connectivity.
• Later this month, we’ll provide AP students and educators with information on how to access the testing system on test day, and video demonstrations so that students can familiarize themselves with the system. You can read more about the exams HERE

2. Indicate AP Student Fee Reduction Status

The state of NC is facing an unprecedented budget shortfall, making it more critical than ever this year that AP Coordinators identify students who meet demonstrated financial need. College Board provides a $32 fee reduction per exam for students with financial need.

For more information and eligibility criteria, click HERE. The deadline for indicating student status has been extended to May 26^th.

To indicate fee reduction status in your AP exam order, AP Coordinators should:

1. Login to APRO at https://myap.collegeboard.org/login

2. Select “Students” tab on your screen near top right.

3. For any student that is eligible for fee reduction, switch their AP Fee Status from “Standard” to “Reduced” on the AP Fee Status column. Note: This fee reduction status is indicated only once per student, not for each exam.

3. Register your Teachers for AP Summer Institute Scholarships

As with so many events, we have had to cancel several NC AP Partnership events this spring, which has freed up funds to allow for more APSI scholarships. As of now, APSIs are still proceeding, and all district caps have been lifted and you may register as many teachers as you want for an AP Summer Institute through a NC AP Partnership scholarship.  Some institutes may be held virtually, and we will share that information as we are made aware. District contacts should have received emails with registration instructions in early March. If you need those instructions resent, please email NCScholarships@collegeboard.org

Questions? Please contact Kathleen Koch, Senior Director with the NC AP Partnership.

Updates from International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)

NEW- Joint statement from NCDPI and the IBO for our North Carolina community:

“During this time of uncertainty, we want to be mindful of the stress we are placing on students and families. While all students should be encouraged to complete their coursework so that they can be celebrated for the hard work they have put into their IB courses over the past two years, schools should know that if there is a student who receives an N for the coursework, the school will not be invoiced for that student this year. NCDPI and the IB will collaborate to finalize plans regarding the few students who may be further adversely affected and receive an N during this time.”

REMINDERS:

• The deadline of April 20 (or April 30 for some arts coursework) is preferred for all schools to upload their work to ensure results by July 5.
• However, schools can request extensions for individual components or subjects directly with the IBO by emailing IB Answers on support@ibo.org to request an extension. Please note that results cannot be guaranteed on July 5 where extensions are given, which may result in a pending (P) grade on results release day.
• The MYP Personal Project deadline is extended to May 20.
• Questions? Please send an email to support@ibo.org and cc: Laura Lane, IB World Schools Manager.

Thank you for everything you are doing to ensure learning continues for our students in North Carolina's Public Schools!  Beth Cross, NCDPI State Consultant, Advanced Learning and Gifted Education

April 6, 2020

Dear AP/IB/CIE Coordinators,

Thank you so much for your vigilance in keeping up with updates, as I know that you and your teachers are likely receiving these same updates from College Board, International Baccalaureate Organization, and Cambridge International. Thank you also for all you are experiencing to learn this new way of doing things, to problem-solve, and to communicate on behalf of our students in North Carolina.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any question or concern you may have. I am here to support and advocate for you.

Beth Cross

NCDPI State Consultant

Advanced Learning and Gifted Education

Updates from International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)

The FAQ site us updated periodically. Some of the most recent updates are:

• The eCoursework site is open as of April 2 for schools to continue uploading student work
• Further guidance for group 6 (arts) coursework is published to the FAQ site.  
• An additional resource was posted to the IB’s Covid-19 FAQ:  Changes to internal assessment for May 2020 DP/CP candidates.  If you had previously received this document from a social media source, please delete that version and replace it with the official version that is posted on the site.
• The deadline of April 20 (or April 30 for some arts coursework) is preferred for all schools to upload their work to ensure results by July 5.
• Schools can request extensions for individual components or subjects directly with the IBO by emailing IB Answers on support@ibo.org to request an extension. Please note that results cannot be guaranteed on the 5 July 2020 where extensions are given, which may result in a pending (P) grade on results release day.
• The MYP Personal Project deadline is extended to May 20.
• As always, please send any further questions to support@ibo.org and copy Laura Lane on the email.

Update from College Board-Advanced Placement (AP)

A great resource for learning about this year’s AP exams is Trevor Packer's presentation. I listened to most of it myself, and you’ll note included in the presentation are not only details as you see in the summary below, but also rationale for exam content.

Exam Dates

Most AP teachers and students they surveyed prefer to test earlier, while the content is still fresh.

• Exams will be given from May 11-22.
• Makeup test dates will be available for each subject from June 1-5.
• Students can take exams at home or in schools, if they reopen.
• Each subject’s exam will be taken on the same day at the same time, worldwide.
• View the full testing schedule.

Exam Format

• Most exams will have one or two free-response questions, and each question will be timed separately. Students will need to write and submit their responses within the allotted time for each question.
• Students will be able to take exams on any device to which they have access- computer, tablet, or smartphone. They’ll be able to type and upload their responses or write responses by hand and submit a photo via their cell phones.
• For most subjects, the exams will be 45 minutes long, plus an additional 5 minutes for uploading. Students will need to access the online testing system 30 minutes early to get set up.
• Certain courses, such as Art and Design: 2D; Art and Design: 3D; Computer Science Principles; Drawing; Research; and Seminar, will use portfolio submissions and will not have a separate online exam. All deadlines for these submissions have been extended to May 26, 2020, 11:59 pm ET. Teachers and students may receive separate course-specific communications.
• Students taking world language and culture exams will complete two spoken tasks consistent with free-response questions 3 and 4 on the current AP Exam. Written responses will not be required. College Board will provide additional details in the coming weeks to help students prepare.
• Note: There may be some differences for world languages and courses that require portfolio submissions. Check the College Board website for more information.

Confronting the Digital Divide

College Board recognizes that the digital divide could prevent some low-income and rural student from participating. Working with partners, they are investing so these students have the tools and connectivity they need to review AP content online and take the exam. If your students need mobile tools or connectivity, you can contact College Board directly to let them know by April 24. Tips for testing on specific devices will be available in late April.

Remote Instruction and Practice

On March 25, College Board began offering free live AP review courses, delivered by AP teachers from across the country. The courses have been viewed more than 3.2 million times since they became available. On-demand lessons are now available for Art and Design, AP Capstone, and Computer Science Principles.

College Board has also unlocked secure free-response questions in AP Classroom so teachers can digitally assign relevant practice questions students can take at home. Additional tips for helping your student practice are available.

Professional Development Opportunities

Coordinators can register for live training on April 10 to learn more about exams.

Here’s a quick list of helpful links:

• AP Exam Schedule with Course-Specific Exam Information
  https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/educators/taking-the-exams/ap-exam-schedule
• General Information about Exam Features, Exam Timing, Before Exam Day, and Exam Day and After
  https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/educators/taking-the-exams
• General Information about Exam Security
  https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/educators/taking-the-exams/security
• Tips for Success on Open Book/Open Note Exams
  https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/students/open-book-tips
• Schedule for Online AP Classes and Review
  https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/students/ap-course-schedule
• Update for AP Coordinators – Schools Impacted by COVID-19
  https://globalmeet.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1295851&tp_key=d5a3717b17

For additional information, please visit College Board’s Coronavirus Updates page and their Frequently Asked Questions page.

Update from Cambridge International Education (CIE)

The process Cambridge will use to provide grades for students will be a collaborative one with schools.

The decision on grades to be awarded to candidates will be made by Cambridge, using our own evidence combined with evidence from schools.

Their approach will be to ask schools to collaborate with them as they make evidence-based decisions about grades for each candidate in each subject they have entered for in the May/June 2020 exam series for Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge O Level, Cambridge International AS & A Level and Cambridge Pre-U.

They are now asking schools to consider what evidence they will be able to gather to support these decisions. The evidence should consist of examples of work candidates have done to prepare for their May/ June 2020 exams.

The types of evidence that might be available could include but will not be limited to:

• mock exams
• coursework (complete or incomplete)
• assignments
• AS Level results for ‘staged-route’ A Level candidates
• grades in previous sittings for candidates re-taking exams.

Helpful Link:

Updates and FAQs for Cambridge schools:  https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/covid/

Further details will be sent directly to schools on Tuesday, April 7, 2020.

Thank you for everything you are doing to ensure learning continues for our students in North Carolina Public Schools!

March 27, 2020

Education Leaders,

During this time of extended remote learning, our division will be sending division-wide updates for all program areas under the Division of Advanced Learning & Gifted Education (DALGE) umbrella.  Please know that we are sending you strength and energy as you take care of your students and your own families and yourselves.

Please be assured that our office will continue providing support during this time. While our team members will be teleworking over the next few days or weeks, each of us will be maintaining our normal working office hours.  We will be most easily reached via email and our contact information can be found below.  

Career and College Promise

The NC Department of Public Instruction and the NC Community College System seek to ensure high school students participating in the Career and College Promise program are not negatively impacted by the disruption of learning caused by the current COVID- 19 pandemic.

Please see attached joint memo for guidance to community colleges and public schools on completion of CCP courses this term.

CCP Coordinators Webinar -- Friday, April 3

The next CCP Coordinators Webinar will be April 3 from 2 pm to 3 pm. Our focus will be the current status and needs of CCP students.

Please join us if you can.

Here is the link to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/631732507856485634.

Cooperative Innovation High Schools

The NC Department of Public Instruction and the NC Community College System seek to ensure high school students participating in the Career and College Promise program are not negatively impacted by the disruption of learning caused by the current COVID- 19 pandemic.

Please see attached joint memo for guidance to community colleges and public schools on completion of CCP courses this term.

CIHS Leaders Webinar -- Friday, April 24

The next CIHS Leaders Webinar will be Friday, April 24 from 10 am to 11 am. Our focus will be the status and needs of CIHS students.

Please join us if you can.

Here is the link to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2148160253187608834.

College Board- Advanced Placement Update

As schools and communities navigate the unprecedented challenges posed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the health and safety of educators and students are the AP Program’s top priorities.

Here’s how College Board is supporting schools:

• They are providing free remote learning resources. Check out the free AP Review Classes for students!
• They are investing in the development of a new at-home testing option. There will be no paper-pencil AP exams.
• Additional information about exams: Some students may want to take the exam sooner rather than later, while the content is still fresh. Other students may want more time to practice. For each AP subject, there will be two different testing dates. The full exam schedule, specific free-response question types that will be on each AP Exam, and additional testing information will be available by April 3.

For more information and all AP news and updates please see https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update

As a reminder, Teachers who are providing remote instruction can continue to leverage AP Classroom, which we introduced at the start of the school year.

• Within AP Classroom, free-response questions that were only available for in-classroom use due to security concerns will now be unlocked.
• Teachers will be able to assign questions to students digitally.

Here is a one-page overview (.pdf/514KB) of how AP teachers can use the free, daily online practice in AP Classroom to help students prepare for exam day.

AP teachers can access these additional resources to help them get set up with AP Classroom:

• Foundations. Learn how AP Classroom complements the new AP course and exam descriptions and offers students opportunities for practice and feedback throughout the year.
• AP Classroom Demo. See a click-through demonstration of AP Classroom, which highlights how to assign, score, and interpret results from Topic Questions, Personal Progress Checks, and teacher-created assignments and quizzes from the AP Question Bank.
• AP Quick Start Videos. Watch short tutorials on the recent features added to AP Classroom.

International Baccalaureate Organization Update

The IB’s FAQ site has been updated (March 27). Anything that is not addressed as of this update will be considered for the next update of FAQs, which will happen on a weekly basis moving forward. Below are a few questions lifted from the FAQ that answer initial questions regarding the cancellation of the May/June exams.

How will the results be calculated?

The IB will be using vast historical assessment data to ensure that they follow a rigorous process of due diligence in what is a truly unprecedented situation. They will be undertaking significant data analysis from previous exam sessions, individual school data, subject data as well as comparative data of schools who have already completed uploading requirements and those who have not.

The IB will require schools to submit the coursework for all candidates. IB will externally mark work that is usually marked by teachers, instead of taking samples and applying moderation.

How will a student be awarded an IB Diploma or Certificate?

Using the information above the IB will be able to provide official documentation of the student’s diploma or certification. They will require schools to submit the coursework for all candidates. They will externally mark work that is usually marked by teachers, instead of taking samples and applying moderation.

When will results be released?

The IB intends to release results to universities/institutions and schools as planned on July 5, 2020. All student coursework and associated predicted grades will need to be uploaded by April 20, if not sooner, in order to guarantee delivery of results by July 5.

Cambridge International Education Update

• The international examinations scheduled for May/June 2020 will not be run in any country. This includes Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge O Level, Cambridge International AS & A Level, Cambridge AICE Diploma and Cambridge Pre-U.
• Schools will be asked to collaborate with Cambridge to ensure that candidates’ subject grades are based on a range of evidence that represent their achievement levels as set by rigorous Cambridge programme standards. Cambridge will provide an update with more detail on March 31.
• For frequently asked questions, see the Information for schools page with more information.
• Cambridge wants to do everything they can to support schools in these efforts and have published a ‘Teaching and learning when school is closed’ section on their website: www.cambridgeinternational.org/support-for-schoolscovid-19 

AIG Spring Headcount Update

AIG Coordinators!

Spring is upon us - and that means, it's AIG Headcount time! While we normally would be collecting data on April 30th, we know that the impact of COVID19 has disrupted our sense of "normal" school routines and has likely impacted our AIG identification processes and timelines. While we need to gather the spring headcount data in a timely fashion, our goal is to ensure the data are as accurate as possible and ensure you have the support and access you need to be successful in preparing the data.  To this end, we have the opportunity to push the collection window back, if that is a need of the districts or charters.  So, we would appreciate your feedback as we make final decisions about when to collect the AIG Child Count data this Spring.  Please share your thoughts and preferences with us via the AIG Headcount Preferences survey, by Wednesday, 1 April 2020.  We will review the data and make an announcement about the Spring AIG Headcount in our next update.

*************************************************************************************************************

Stay Connected with us -- if we can help you in any way.  Please reach out!

Sneha Shah Coltrane, Director

Vernitta Spruill, Division Administrative Assistant

Beth Cross, State Consultant (AIG, AP/IB/CIE)

Stephanie Cyrus, State Consultant (AIG, CDM)

Isaac Lake, State Consultant (CIHS, CCP)

March 20, 2020

Hello AP District Contacts,

You have probably already received this information from Kathleen Koch, from our NC AP Partnership.  We wanted to share it again with all contacts to ensure the information is received by everyone in a timely manner.

***Message from College Board***

A very important new AP update has just posted to https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update. 

For your convenience, I am copying below with highlighted call-outs to crucial information. Please read over carefully and share widely with your AP community – principals, teachers, students, and families:

As schools and communities navigate the unprecedented challenges posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the health and safety of educators and students are the AP Program’s top priorities. Here’s how we’re supporting schools:

• We’re providing free remote learning resources. 
• We’re investing in the development of a new at-home testing option.

Through our members across the country, we understand the new time constraints on everyone in the education community. These solutions are meant to be as simple and lightweight as possible for both students and teachers — without creating additional burdens for school leaders during this time.

• Traditional face-to-face exam administrations will not take place.  
• Some students may want to take the exam sooner rather than later, while the content is still fresh. Other students may want more time to practice. For each AP subject, there will be 2 different testing dates.

The full exam schedule, specific free-response question types that will be on each AP Exam, and additional testing details will be available by April 3. We'll also unlock any relevant free-response questions in AP Classroom for digital use so students can access all practice questions of the type that will appear on the exam.

About This Year’s AP Exams

Students remain eager to take AP Exams and to have a chance to earn credit and placement. We surveyed 18,000 AP students and 91% indicated they want to complete this important step, urging us not to cancel this opportunity they have been working toward.

We’ll continue to support students with free resources through exam day. And while we encourage students to wait until closer to the test date to decide, any student already registered for an exam can choose to cancel at no charge.

The AP Program will invest heavily over the next month in the following ways:

• For the 2019–20 exam administration only, students can take a 45-minute online exam at home. Educator-led development committees are currently selecting the exam questions that will be administered.
• AP curricula are locally developed and we defer to local decisions on how best to help students complete coursework. To be fair to all students, some of whom have lost more instructional time than others, the exam will only include topics and skills most AP teachers and students have already covered in class by early March.
• Colleges support this solution and are committed to ensuring that AP students receive the credit they have worked this year to earn. For decades, colleges have accepted a shortened AP Exam for college credit when groups of students have experienced emergencies.
• Students will be able to take these streamlined exams on any device they have access to—computer, tablet, or smartphone. Taking a photo of handwritten work will also be an option.
• We recognize that the digital divide could prevent some low-income and rural students from participating. Working with partners, we will invest so that these students have the tools and connectivity they need to review AP content online and take the exam. If your students need mobile tools or connectivity, you can reach out to us directly to let us know.

Test security is a concern.

• The exam questions are designed and administered in ways that prevent cheating; we use a range of digital security tools and techniques, including plagiarism detection software, to protect the integrity of the exams.
• Scoring at-home work for an AP Exam is not new to the AP Program. For years the AP Program has received and scored at-home student work as part of the exams for the AP Computer Science Principles and AP Capstone courses.

* This information will be posted here by Friday, April 3.

** It will not be possible to provide subscores this year.

Instructional Support

Beginning on Wednesday, March 25, students and teachers can attend free, live AP review courses, delivered by AP teachers from across the country. These mobile-friendly classes are:

• Designed to be used alongside work that may be given by schools.
• Will be recorded and available on-demand so teachers and students can access them any time.
• Not dependent on current AP teachers continuing instruction. We know many AP teachers now face challenges that would make that impossible.
• Will focus on reviewing the skills and concepts from the first 75% of the course. There will also be some supplementary lessons covering the final 25% of the course.

Teachers who are providing remote instruction can continue to leverage AP Classroom, which we introduced at the start of the school year.

• Within AP Classroom, free-response questions that were only available for in-classroom use due to security concerns will now be unlocked.
• Teachers will be able to assign questions to students digitally.

Here is a one-page overview (.pdf/514KB) of how AP teachers can use the free, daily online practice in AP Classroom to help students prepare for exam day.

AP teachers can access these additional resources to help them get set up with AP Classroom:

• Foundations. Learn how AP Classroom complements the new AP course and exam descriptions and offers students opportunities for practice and feedback throughout the year.
• AP Classroom Demo. See a click-through demonstration of AP Classroom, which highlights how to assign, score, and interpret results from Topic Questions, Personal Progress Checks, and teacher-created assignments and quizzes from the AP Question Bank.
• AP Quick Start Videos. Watch short tutorials on the recent features added to AP Classroom.

AP Services for Educators

Email: apexams@info.collegeboard.org Email: apexams-intl@info.collegeboard.org (for educators outside the United States) Phone: +1-877-274-6474 or +1-212-632-1781

For all AP news and updates please see https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update .

Thank you for your partnership and all you do to support our students.

Everyone stay safe and we will continue to share updates as they become available!

March 18, 2020

Greetings AIG Coordinators!

We wanted to share this quick update regarding instructional and other resources to support your work during this time.  We thank you for the work you are doing to support the gifted learners of your community.  If we can be of assistance to you, please don’t hesitate to email our team. 

A message from the Digital Teaching & Learning Team:

Hello North Carolina Educators,

In an effort to provide support to you during the statewide closure of K-12 public schools, the Digital Teaching & Learning team at NCDPI has organized remote teaching and learning resources and created options for NC educators to connect and learn with colleagues. Below you will find links and information for these resources and communities.  Please know that this information should not supersede your public school unit (PSU) recommendations.

We urge all educators to remember a guiding principle: keep it simple! We know there has been a deluge of resources and information this weekend. Try to focus on tools that students are already familiar with and have used in class. Trying to implement many new tools at this point will only add stress for teachers and students alike. We’ve tried to keep our website and tools streamlined and focused on NC needs. Remember too that assignments done at home can take students more time to complete — we recommend starting out slow with simple reinforcement activities in the beginning.

NC Remote Learning Resources and Information website

This evolving website includes instructional resources, online pedagogy considerations, resources for leadership, and more. The site will be updated frequently, so we encourage you to visit often.

Give, Take, & Learn Together!

Our team proudly serves NC educators, and we also recognize the wealth of knowledge and expertise among those we serve. In addition to the remote learning website, we have developed a space for educators, ed partners, and NCDPI to offer virtual professional learning events and remote learning resources.

If you would like to offer support to NC educators as they shift to remote teaching and learning,please complete this form. We encourage you to share this form widely with teachers, instructional support staff, and leadership.

Ideas for support:

• Host a virtual event (e.g., a professional development webinar / live stream, a Twitter chat, or “office hours”) and/or
• Share a link to a resource (e.g., a pre-recorded tutorial video, or a helpful website or document)

If you are looking for resources to support your students (and you!) as you plan for remote learning opportunities, explore this spreadsheet of responses from colleagues.

You will find links to register for live virtual events, as well as remote teaching and learning resources shared by colleagues. This list will continue to grow, so check back often!

#GoOpenNC Remote Learning Hub

On December 16, 2019, the #GoOpenNC platform for open educational resources (OER) launched statewide and is home to lesson plans, content resources, printables and other resources aligned to state standards. This easy to use platform serves as a space to search for, curate, and create OER, as well as connect and collaborate with other NC educators.

A Remote Learning Resources hub has been created, which includes content area, grade level, and role-based groups where educators can share, ask questions, and support one another. Search for instructional resources, and join a group today! More information about #GoOpenNC can be found on the Remote Learning website.

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We hope you find these resources helpful in the coming weeks. These resources are evolving quickly. We will continue to share via social media (Twitter / Facebook) with the hashtag #NCRemoteLearning. Thank you for all that you do to serve NC students, especially during this challenging time.

We are proud to serve alongside you.

NCDPI Digital Teaching & Learning Team

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Guidance Related to School Counseling Services During School Shutdowns

A Guidance Related to School Counseling Services During School Shutdowns was prepared to assist school districts in planning, preparing, and responding to coronavirus COVID-19 and distributed to district contacts for school counseling and the NCDPI School Counseling Listserv March 12. This is specific to school counseling and supplementary to communication your district may otherwise be receiving from NCDPI. Included is information related to talking with students and parents about COVID-19, planning for virtual/distance school counseling, plus resources from several national agencies and organizations regarding planning, preparing and responding to COVID-19.

AP/IB/CIE Coordinators

From IBO - Laura Lane

The IB is sending frequent updates to school principals and coordinators regarding the remainder of this school year. Last night, this communication was sent to them.  The Covid-19 FAQ website is updated almost daily and is the best place to check on any updates regarding DP, CP, and MYP assessment deadlines.  The message remains the same: if the closing status of a school changes, they should notify support@ibo.org.  All schools who have notified support@ibo.org are automatically granted the extensions posted on the site.

Additionally, information will be shared in the coming weeks regarding rescheduling of any evaluation visits that were to take place in spring 2020 and upcoming evaluation or matters to be addressed submission deadlines.   Please hold off on questions around those topics until further communications have been sent.

Lastly, the kind folks at Kognity are offering free access to their DP materials during the school closure period.  Please see the details below my signature if your schools would like to take advantage of the materials.  I do not have any further information on the materials, but Nick is available for questions and support via email or phone if teachers or coordinators need to reach out to him.

A message from College Board re: Khan Academy

To support districts, schools, and parents during school closures related to COVID-19, here’s some resources we’ve put together on how Khan Academy can be used for remote learning:

• Detailed daily schedules for students ages 4 to 18 that parents, teachers and district administrators can use to keep students learning at home.  (http://khan.co/KA-school-closure-schedule)
• Sal Khan is personally hosting livestreams and answering questions weekdays at noon EST/9am PST on Facebook and YouTube for students, parents and teachers navigating school closures.
• Parent and teacher resources for getting started with Khan Academy.
• Khan Academy is exploring ways to further support students, parents and teachers with live “office hours” and mechanisms to answer academic and logistical questions. Stay-tuned on the daily livestreams for more info.

Division of Advanced Learning and Gifted Education (DALGE) UPDATE  March 13, 2020

In light of this unprecedented event, please see the division-wide update for all program areas under the Division of Advanced Learning & Gifted Education umbrella.  Please know that we are sending you strength and energy as you take care of your students and your own families/selves.

As of this morning, we know that a few school districts have announced lengthened spring breaks, teacher workdays or temporary closings to prepare for longer periods of not having classes for their students amid the Coronavirus outbreak.

Please be assured that our office will continue providing support during this time. While our team members will be teleworking over the next few days or weeks, each of us will be maintaining our normal working office hours.  We will be most easily reached via email and our contact information can be found below.  

Academically or Intellectually Gifted Program Coordinators

For those of you who are in districts shifting to remote learning, we encourage you to continue efforts to differentiate instruction for AIG and advanced learners and to find ways to support their social and emotional learning needs during this time. 

Continue to work with your Chief Technology Officer to use available resources when looking for support with e-learning.

Duke TIP’s “Teachers Workshop” is a blog filled with free resources including lesson plan blueprints, to specifically address the needs of gifted learners in curriculum and instruction.   Check it out here: https://blogs.tip.duke.edu/teachersworkshop/tips-for-taking-your-course-online/

Advanced Placement Program Coordinators

AP Exam Orders

Today, March 13, is the deadline to submit any AP® Exam order changes or new exam orders. The AP coordinator must submit any remaining changes to your school's AP Exam order in AP Registration and Ordering by 11:59 p.m. ET today.

Please check with the AP coordinator to ensure they’re prepared to submit final changes, if any, to the exam order.

If your school is currently closed in response to the Coronavirus outbreak, don't be concerned about the deadline. Your AP coordinator should call AP Services for Educators when they can so ordering can be reopened for them and any related fees can be waived.

If your school is open but your situation changes in the coming weeks, your AP coordinator can call AP Services for Educators for information about later testing options, if needed.

If you have questions or need help, please email AP Services for Educators at apexams@info.collegeboard.org (apexams-intl@info.collegeboard.org for educators outside the U.S.) or call 877-274-6474 (toll free in the U.S. and Canada) or +1-212-632-1781.

AP will be posting guidance on AP Central later today that will address AP exam administration as well as instructional support. AP Coordinators, Teachers, and Principals should look for an email on Monday from College Board.  We will also continue to monitor and send information as well.

International Baccalaureate Organization Coordinators

David Weiss, Head of IB World Schools, US shared a new resource with coordinators, principals, and superintendents to help prepare for the contingency of providing continuity of instruction if there are school closures and/or quarantines.

See the Guide to online and blended learning.

For our most recent updates, please visit IBO’s Coronavirus Updates Page. Here we have regularly updated information to keep you informed about developing news and actions that are being taken to support and protect our community.

If you close your schools due to COVID-19, please have your district coordinator or principals contact their IB World School Manager or our dedicated Adverse team via Support@ibo.org.

Cambridge International Education

They know that affected schools are considering whether to withdraw candidates from the June 2020 examination series. To give schools as much time as possible to make this decision, they are allowing schools to withdraw candidates via CIE Direct until April 17 from the June 2020 exam series. They know that schools will want to consider this option carefully over the coming weeks. They hope by giving until April 17, that schools will be able to respond to their local situation and make the best decision for your students. The full advice on Covid-19  can be viewed here: www.cambridgeinternational.org/covid-19.

SAT March 14 Administration- Test Administrators

Based on recent events and guidance from government and health officials, you may be thinking about how to provide a healthy, safe, and supportive testing environment to meet the academic and social/emotional needs of the students taking the SAT tomorrow.

If your district or school serves as an SAT Test Center and you need to close the site for the March 14 SAT administration, please contact:

SAT - Test Administration Services

800-257-5123

tas@ets.org

The College Board will then add your school to the list of test center closures and post it to their webpage. They will also send appropriate communications to registered students.

This is also in the SAT Coordinator manual, so schools can find this info there, and on the web: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/k12-educators/coordinating/test-centers.

Career and College Promise and Cooperative Innovative High Schools

NCDPI is working with our partners at the NC Community Colleges System, the University of North Carolina System and NC Independent Colleges and Universities to look into common questions arising from the current situation.

At this time we are not aware of any community colleges closing. Some colleges will shift to online instruction in the coming days. Decisions on the delivery of instruction and canceling classes and events will be made by the local community colleges’ boards of trustees. Please work with your local community college to ensure that student needs are being considered.

At this time, all UNC System universities remain open and are moving to alternative means of delivering instruction wherever possible. The UNC System has advised institutions with K-12 students to remain in contact with representatives from their local LEAs. Guidance and protocols related to K-12 students may differ from that pertaining to institutions of higher education.

NCDPI-sponsored Spring CIHS Regional Meetings have been canceled. We are working to develop virtual alternatives for these convenings. Please look for more information in the coming weeks.

The NCDPI-sponsored CCP Summit that had been scheduled for April 30 has been canceled. We will continue our CCP webinars. 

Please continue to work with local school district leaders and college partners to make the best decisions for your students. If you need our support with any conversations, please let us know.

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Stay Connected with us -- if we can help you in any way.  Please reach out!

Visit us at our new website: Division of Advanced Learning & Gifted Education (DALGE)

Sneha Shah Coltrane, Director

Vernitta Spruill, Division Administrative Assistant

Beth Cross, State Consultant (AIG, AP/IB/CIE)

Stephanie Cyrus, State Consultant (AIG, CDM)

Isaac Lake, State Consultant (CIHS, CCP)