SBE HIGHLIGHTS

JANUARY 31, 2007

Special Note:To review background materials on each item, please go to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/meetings/2007/02. Click on the appropriate agenda category: High Student Performance (HSP); Quality Teachers, Administrators and Staff (QP); Effective and Efficient Operations (EEO); Healthy Students in Safe, Orderly and Caring Schools (SS); or Strong Family, Community and Business Support (FCB).

Note: Because of predicted inclement weather on Thursday, Feb. 1, the Board consolidated its two-day meeting into one day, Wednesday, Jan. 31. As a result, special presentations of the 2006 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award and from the Asheboro City Schools' High School Program with the North Carolina Zoo will be rescheduled.

Action Agenda

Program Approval and Exemption Requests Under the Innovative Education Initiatives Act (HSP 1) - Board members approved calendar waiver requests submitted by Craven County Schools, Guilford County Schools and Scotland County Schools being made under the Innovative Education Initiatives Act. The Innovative Education Initiatives Act authorizes community colleges, the university system, independent colleges, and local boards of education to jointly establish cooperative innovative programs in high schools and community colleges that will expand students' opportunities for education success through high quality instructional programming. The programs target at-risk students and students who would benefit from accelerated academic instruction.

Charter School Grade Changes and Enrollment Increase Requests Above 10% - (EEO 1) - State Board members approved enrollment increase requests submitted by Bethany Community Middle School, Carolina International School, Learning Center, Lincoln Charter School, Millennium Charter Academy, Metrolina Regional Scholars' Academy, Union Academy, Woods Charter and Phoenix Academy; grade expansion requests submitted by Queen's Grant and Community Charter School; and grade expansion and enrollment requests submitted by Lake Norman Charter, The Magellan Charter and Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy.

Joint Technology Commissions Report (EEO 2) - The Joint Report on Information Technology, compiled with the assistance of SBE Executive Director Rebecca Garland, NCDPI Director of Instructional Technology Frances Bradburn and the BETA/E-Learning Commissions Director Myra Best with input from a number of other interested organizations, was approved for submittal to the General Assembly. The report includes recommendations based on the following four essential elements necessary for future-ready schools: (1) delivery of 21st century curriculum, instruction, assessments and accountability; (2) presence of technology tools in the classrooms; (3) existence of robust and relevant personnel and professional development; and (4) pervasive existence of high bandwidth connectivity and scalable networks.

Action on First Reading

Changes to the 2005-06 ABCs/AYP Report (HSP 2) - Board members approved changes to the 2005-06 ABCs/AYP report to reflect the following: Fair Bluff Elementary changed from Low Performing to Priority school, Parkton Elementary changed from Priority to No Recognition school, Thomas Jefferson Academy changed from Not Met to Met AYP, Artspace changed from Not Met to Met AYP.

Recommended Interim Academic Achievement Standards (Cut Scores) for the Mathematics and English I EOC Tests (HSP 3) - The interim academic achievement standards (cut scores) for Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry and English I end-of-course tests were approved. To set the interim standards, Department staff used the Contrasting Groups method, which relies on teachers' judgment and input about each student's performance. The new standards are effective beginning this school year. The final standards for these tests are scheduled to be set during the summer 2007 for implementation in the 2007-08 school year.

Recommendations from the Advisory Board on Requests for Exception from Teacher Licensing Requirements (QP 1) - Board members acted on requests for exception from teacher licensing requirements in closed session.

Transference of 21st Century Community Learning Center Funds (EEO 3) - Board members approved transferring 21st Century Community Learning Center Funds from the Episcopal Hispanic Ministry to Beaufort County Schools in order to continue the after-school services provided to at-risk students. Beaufort County Schools will now serve as the fiscal agent for these funds for the remaining two years of the grant since the Episcopal Hispanic Ministry has closed its doors.

Discussion Agenda

Reading Literacy Strategic Plan (HSP 4) - The revised Reading Literacy Strategic Plan was presented to Board members for discussion and input. The Plan identifies three strategic objectives: all students will graduate with the necessary literacy and digital skills to function effectively in a global economy; all North Carolina students will read at or above grade level by the end of the eighth grade; and North Carolina students will score in the top five percent of states on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Six priority action steps outlined in the plan also align with the Board's 21st century goals.

Praxis II Option for Birth-Kindergarten Teachers to be Designated Highly Qualified (QP 2) - A proposed early childhood content exam and passing score for adoption as a means for birth-kindergarten teachers to be designated highly qualified to teach kindergarten was discussed by Board members. Currently, in order to teach kindergarten, new teachers licensed in birth-kindergarten must pass the Praxis II exams for elementary education to be designated highly qualified.

Recommendations for Final Approval of 2006 Charter School Applications (EEO 4) - Board members discussed approving the following seven charter school applications to begin operation in the 2007-08 school year: Charlotte Secondary School (Mecklenburg County), KIPP: Charlotte (Mecklenburg County), Columbus Charter School (Columbus County), Voyager Academy (Durham County), Pine Lake Preparatory (Iredell County), Neuse Charter School (Johnson County) and Wilmington Preparatory Academy (New Hanover County).

Information Agenda

Report on Professional Development from the Center for School Leadership Development (QP 3) - The Fifth Annual Report on Professional Development Activities was presented to Board members for informational purposes. The report outlines professional development activities provided to public school employees by seven of the eight programs comprising the UNC Center for School Leadership Development during 2005-06. The Center is currently consolidating all its programs to focus on two areas: educator recruitment and pre-service training, and leadership/professional development. The Center welcomes State Board input as to the services the Center should provide educators.

Dropout Data Report, 2005-06 (HSP 5) - Board members were presented with the Annual Dropout Event Report for School Year 2005-06. North Carolina's dropout rate increased slightly in 2005-06 and is now 5.04 percent, an increase of 6.33 percent. The dropout rate in 2004-05 was 4.74 percent. Many LEAs experienced decreases in dropout events with 46 of the 115 local districts reporting decreases. Five of the largest school districts account for a disproportionate amount of the increase. Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Wake, Guilford, Cumberland and Winston-Salem/Forsyth schools accounted for 56 percent of the increase in the grade 9-12 dropout events. Overall, the state recorded 22,180 dropout events in grades nine through 12. Board members discussed the number of students leaving public schools with the intention of enrolling in Community College, the need to review their definition of a dropout, and their desire to work with the legislature to raise the legal drop out age from 16 to 18.

NC Virtual Public School - Director's Report (HSP 6) - NC Virtual Public School (NCVPS) Interim Advisory Board Chair John Boling briefed Board members on the school's projects and timeline, including course audits, teacher recruitment, staffing and asset consolidation. Boling noted that only a small percentage of the courses audited so far had received high marks by the reviewers, but that another group of the audited courses could be acceptable with some modifications. State Superintendent Atkinson noted that many of those courses receiving the highest audit marks were developed by NCDPI staff in conjunction with Learn NC. Of the teachers who have applied to teach in the NCVPS, approximately one-third of them have never taught in an on-line environment, so special professional development will be provided to them. Board members expressed their appreciation for the NC VPS maintaining high standards.

Special Presentation

State Superintendent June Atkinson read a resolution honoring and recognizing the outstanding service of retiring Deputy State Superintendent Janice Davis. Board members were invited to a reception being held that afternoon in her honor.

On-Going Business

NCDPI Deputy State Superintendent Janice Davis provided Board members with a progress report on the Future-Ready Students Plan and Implementation. A handbook will be made available to Board members in the next couple of months. The Future-Ready Plan should be developed and given to the new Deputy State Superintendent JB Buxton by March 15 for submittal to the Board at its April meeting.

New Business

Board members approved a policy delineating the delegation of authority from the State Board of Education to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and to the Deputy State Superintendent.

Chairman's Remarks

Chairman Howard Lee called on SBE Executive Director Rebecca Garland to give an update of the beginning of the legislative session. She noted that many bills have been filed, including bills regarding students with disabilities, the lottery disbursements, the charter schools cap, and that she and the Board staff will be filing Friday updates via email throughout the session.

Garland also introduced a new youth program being introduced in North Carolina schools by the NFL. The program provides training modules for coaches to use in player development activities during the spring off-season. Students 12 to 14 years of age are eligible. Only major league player development programs approved by the State Board are open to 6th grade students.

During the Chairman's remarks, the Board also approved an additional $25,000 for training school and LEA personnel who work to meet the unique needs of children of deployed parents.

State Superintendent's Report

State Superintendent June Atkinson highlighted a number of items in her monthly report. These included the following:

Annual Mandatory Collection of Elementary and Secondary Education Data - NCDPI has submitted 41 percent of the data files required for this federal reporting and is identifying the areas that need additional time to comply with the data reporting requirements.

NC Kindergarten Teacher Leader Initiative - NCDPI has begun its first Kindergarten Teacher Leader Initiative with a goal of building a group of kindergarten teacher leaders statewide. Thirty teachers will participate in a three-year comprehensive professional development model designed to develop and enhance the teachers' pedagogy and leadership skills in order to impact the long-term growth, development and academic success of kindergartners. Kindergarten teachers are encouraged to apply for participation at http://community.learnnc.org/dpi.ec. Applications are due by Feb. 15.

21st Century Teaching and Learning Environment Manual - DPI, in partnerships with many other groups and organizations, is crafting a manual to assist schools in creating 21st century teaching and learning environments. Among its components will be classroom scenarios from a variety of teacher perspectives, a discussion of Web 2.0 resources, online testing and an actual step-by-step planning guide.

Entrepreneurship Education Initiative - DPI is collaborating with the UNC Kenan-Flagler School of Business, NC Community College System, NC REAL, New Schools Project and Learn NC to develop a proposal for Entrepreneurship Education to submit to the Golden Leaf Foundation. The goal is to create a seamless system of K-20 education that equips students and adults to be entrepreneurial thinkers and problem solvers.