SBE HIGHLIGHTS
SBE HIGHLIGHTS MAY 1-3, 2007
Special Note:To review background materials on each item, please go to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/meetings/2007/05. Click on the appropriate agenda category: Globally Competitive Students (GCS); Twenty-First Century Professionals (TCP); Leadership for Innovation (LFI); Twenty-First Century Systems (TCS); or Healthy Responsible Students (HRS).
Action Agenda
Approval of Supplemental Educational Service Providers for 2007-08 (GCS 1) - Board members approved 48 applicants to deliver supplemental educational services in the 2007-08 school year in reading and mathematics to students in schools that have been in Title I School Improvement for at least two years.
Middle Grades Education and High School Graduation Requirements (GCS 3) -Beginning in the 2007-08 school year, students who pass mathematics or foreign language courses taken during grades 6-8 that are described in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Grades 9-12 must achieve a Level III or IV on the end-of-course assessment, if available, to meet that high school graduation requirement. In addition, students are strongly encouraged to complete at least one unit of mathematics in their final year of high school.
Revision of the North Carolina Mathematics Standard Course of Study (GCS 4) - Board members approved revising the North Carolina Mathematics Standard Course of Study K-12 so that it aligns with rigorous mathematics options proposed in the Core Course of Study, post-secondary expectations and national curriculum documents.
Personal Financial Literacy (GCS 5) - Board members endorsed the Department's Middle and Secondary Education Division's development of a module for personal financial literacy instruction that is aligned to Civics and Economics Standard Course of Study's goals and objectives and emphasizes budget, savings, investment and credit. In addition, staff will produce professional development for Social Studies teachers based on the module for delivery in the summer of 2007 for implementation by teachers in the 2007-08 school year. Staff also will address student assessment for personal financial literacy that is aligned to the major topics outlined in the Civics and Economics course and incorporate that assessment into the existing end of course assessment cycle. In addition, personal financial literacy topics will be infused into the Algebra I and Integrated Mathematics I Standard Course of Study during the revision cycle.
The Cooperative Innovative High School Program Act - Waivers for Educational Purposes (LFI 1) - Board members approved calendar waiver requests submitted by the following school districts: Burke County, Lee County, Iredell-Statesville, Lenoir County, Macon County, McDowell County, New Hanover County, Scotland County, Wayne County and Yadkin County to allow students to participate in the designated programs located on college campuses.
Program Approval and Exemption Requests Under the Innovative Education Initiatives Act (LFI 2) - Calendar waiver requests submitted by Beaufort County, Cabarrus County, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Davie County, Guilford County, Lenoir County, New Hanover County, Polk County, Richmond County, Wayne County and Yadkin County being made under the Innovative Education Initiatives Act were approved. 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.
Exemption Requests Under the Innovative Education Initiatives Act - Turnaround High Schools (LFI 3) - Calendar waiver requests were approved for the following 10 turnaround high schools in order for them to implement the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) redesign model: Anson High, Anson County Schools; Bertie High, Bertie County Schools; James B. Kenan High, Duplin County Schools; Southern High and Hillside High, Durham Public Schools; Carver High, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools; Northampton-West High, Northampton County Schools; Warren County High, Warren County Schools; Goldsboro High, Wayne County Schools; and Weldon High, Weldon City Schools. Board members also approved staff recommendations regarding program exemption requests except for one submitted by Bertie County in which they requested STEM program students be allowed to test out of required high school courses by taking and scoring at or above the 70th percentile on the end-of-course test.
Renewal Recommendations of Alternative School Model Charter (LFI 4) - Board members approved renewals of the following six charter schools that currently have Alternative School Model Status: Crossroads, Provisions, Grandfather Academy, Laurinburg Homework, Kennedy Charter and Crossnore Academy.
Action on First Reading
Update Performance Level Descriptors for U.S. History, Civics and Economics, Mathematics EOG Grades 3-8 and NCCLAS for U.S. History, Civics and Economics, and Mathematics EOG Grades 3-8 (GCS 6) - Board members approved updating the Performance Level Descriptors for U.S. History, Civics and Economics, Mathematics EOG for grades 3-8 and NCCLAS for U.S. History, Civics and Economics, and Mathematics EOG for grades 3-8 to reflect new academic achievement cut scores previously approved by the Board.
Changes to NC's NCLB Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook (GCS 7) - Board members approved changes to the state's Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook that address equating Algebra I and English I scores, the cohort graduation rate threshold and 2 percent regulations.
Request by Pine Lake Preparatory Charter School to Relocate to Mecklenburg County from Iredell County (TCS 1) - Board members approved the temporary relocation of Pine Lake Preparatory Charter School to Mecklenburg County from Iredell County for the 2007-08 school year. The new site is less that two miles from the proposed new facility site and will serve the same population of students. The site is being temporarily used while the school's new facility is being built.
Approval of Grant - Children's Trust Fund (TCS 2) -Children's Trust Fund grant monies, which are used for programs and services to prevent child abuse and neglect, were approved for the following: Appalachian State University: Catawba Valley Healthy Families; Chapel Hill Training & Outreach Project: KidSCope Parenting Plus; Chatham County Public Health Department: Parent Empowerment Program; Child and Parent Support Services: Healthy Families Durham; Domestic Violence Shelter and Services, Inc.: The Family Nurturing Program; East Carolina University: TEDI Bear Children's Advocacy Center; Exceptional Children's Assistance Center: NC Parents as Teachers Network; Journey Institute: Escuela de la Familia; North Carolina Medical Society Alliance; Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, Inc.; SAFEChild, Inc.: Circle of Parents; Public Health Authority of Cabarrus County: Stepping Stones Intensive Home Visiting Program; Vance County Cooperative Extension, Parenting Coordination/Education; and Wayne Action Group for Economic Solvency: Wayne County First Steps. Grant monies are for July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008.
Utilization of State Board Reserve for Innovative/Special Projects (TCS 4) - Board members approved using $125,000 from reserves from the current fiscal year funding from the At-Risk Student Services/Alternative Schools allotment to support the purchase of science laboratory equipment and curriculum development at the Asheboro High Zoo School and $50,000 for resource materials and professional development in preparation for introducing personal financial literacy into the Civics and Economics curriculum. Those funds were separated from FY 2007-08 funding and were moved to Action on First Read. Approval of FY 2007-08 funding will be voted on at the June Board meeting.
Proposed Revision to Praxis I Testing Requirements for Admission to Teacher Education Programs (TCP 6) - A proposed revision to Board policy that would allow a composite score to be used to satisfy Praxis I testing requirements was approved. Undergraduate students seeking admission to a North Carolina approved teacher education program currently must earn a prescribed score on each of the exams (Reading, Writing and Mathematics). The proposal allows a combined score of 522 across the three exams to be used to satisfy the requirement. This item was moved to Action on First Read.
Approval of Charter School Technology Plans (LFI 5) -The technology plans for Downtown Middle School and Magellan Charter School were approved. Approval qualifies these schools for the School Technology Trust Fund, No Child Left Behind, and federal eRate monies, as well as a variety of private technology grants.
Discussion Agenda
Future-Ready High School Core Curriculum Framework (GCS 8) - Board members continued to discuss the Future-Ready Core and four items have consensus at this time: (1) the implementation date will be 2009-2010 for that year's entering ninth grade class; (2) four units of mathematics will be required with some flexibility for course opt-outs; (3) the second language requirement for all high school students will be delayed to determine better ways to effectively teach second languages, perhaps earlier in students' school careers in K-8; and (4) students will be allowed to substitute courses for the Integrated Mathematics III or Algebra II requirement based on consultation and permission from parents, administrators and teachers. Discussion continues about proposals to require a unit of art and a unit of Career Technical Education for all high school graduates. Art and Career Technical Education continue to be identified as two options for the endorsement areas that students would be required to complete.
Annual Report: State Advisory Council on Indian Education (GCS 9) - Danny Bell with UNC American Indian Studies and a member of the State Advisory Council on Indian Education, presented the State Advisory Council on Indian Education's 2007 Report, “Seeking New Pathways for Student Success: The Vision and the Reality of American Indian Student Achievement,” to Board members. Bell said the report analyzes American Indian student achievement at the primary and secondary education levels, advanced placement opportunities for these students and the dropout and graduation rates for this population. He concluded by noting the Council's three recommendations that would support the readiness of American Indian students and their academic success in public schools. The recommendations focused on adding targeted staffing in the NC Department of Public Instruction that would focus exclusively on American Indian students.
Proposed Standards for the Standard Course of Study in American Sign Language (ASL) Secondary Level (GCS 10) - Proposed standards for the American Sign Language Standard Course of Study were discussed. Currently there are no student standards for the instruction of ASL in public schools.
Governor's School/Board of Governors (TCS 3) - Three members of the Governor's School/Board of Governors' terms have expired. Two cannot be reappointed as they have already served two consecutive terms and are no longer eligible to serve and the third is agreeable to serve another year if approved by Board members. Board members are asked to forward any nominations from Districts 1 and 7 to the Board office for final recommendation and approval at the Board's June meeting.
Pre-approval of Financial and Business Services' Policy Manuals (TCS 5) - Pre-approval of Public School Personnel State Salary Schedules and Manual, the Allotment Policy Manual and the Benefits and Employment Policy Manual for Public School Employees upon adjournment of the General Assembly was discussed. Pre-approval allows Department staff to incorporate changes approved by legislative action that do not require State Board approval to change any policy directives. It also allows for timely distribution of these materials to local districts and charter schools.
Federal Reauthorization of ESEA/No Child Left Behind (TCS 6) - In preparation for their June trip to Washington D.C. to meet with North Carolina's House and Senate members, Board members discussed the preparation of a document outlining recommendations they would like to make related to the reauthorization of the Elementary Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind. Areas of focus are Adequate Yearly Progress; school choice and supplemental education services; supporting schools and districts technical assistance and improvement status/corrective actions; special populations; teacher quality; state authority and flexibility; and resources.
Response to the Report on Professional Development from the Center for School Leadership Development (TCP 2) - Earlier this year, the Center for School Leadership Development provided Board members with a report detailing professional development activities conducted by the Center. Based on that report, as well as discussions with representatives of the Center, the Board has asked Center staff to identify by Sept. 1: specific professional development needs from the topics/lists provided that it can assist in addressing in the 2007-08 school year; specific strategies/activities that will be used to address the identified needs in the 2007-08 school year; and the measures that will be utilized to evaluate the impact of the strategies/activities for the 2007-08 school year.
Revision of the Standards for Teacher Evaluation (TCP 3) - The NC Professional Teaching Standards Commission presented Board members with revised standards for teacher evaluation. The standards were revised to ensure their alignment with the Board's 21st century education goals. The proposed standards have been distributed at major statewide conferences such as the Closing the Gap and the Personnel Administrators of North Carolina, discussed at the Superintendents' Quarterly meeting, and were the focus of discussion at six regional focus group meetings.
Proposed Standards for Licensure in American Sign Language (ASL) (TCP 4) - Proposed standards for American Sign Language (ASL) teacher education programs and requirements for a provisional license in ASL were discussed. Currently, North Carolina has no teacher education programs that prepare individuals to teach ASL in the public schools.
Proposed Revision to Praxis II Testing Requirements for Exceptional Children's Teachers (TCP 5) - Board members discussed a proposed revision to Praxis II testing requirements for Exceptional Children's teachers that would enable them to be certified as Highly Qualified under NCLB. Currently, new exceptional children's teachers do not have a way to be designated highly qualified for the core academic areas at the middle and high school levels without taking individual subject area tests. The proposed change would enable a single test that covers English, math, science and social studies to be used. Also being recommended is the elimination of one of the current tests required for initial exceptional children's licensure so that teachers do not have to complete three tests to be licensed. If approved, the new test would be required beginning Jan. 1, 2008.
Renewal Recommendations for Less that 10 Years for The Academy of Moore County (LFI 6) - Board members discussed a three-year charter renewal for The Academy of Moore County. The school is currently on financial probationary status from the Department's Division of School Business, and it is recommended that the school continues to be on probation during the three years of the renewal.
Information Agenda
Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Fund (DSSF) Pilot Evaluation: Report 1 (TCS 7) - Dr. Gary Henry, a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Visiting Professor from UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Education, presented Board members with an evaluation report on the Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Fund (DSSF) that included details of student performance and educational resource allocation in the 16 pilot districts during the first year of DSSF funding. The report, which can be used as a baseline to assess progress in DSSF districts over time, also documents the disparities in access to high quality teachers between the DSSF districts and the rest of the state and even within the DSSF districts, the flow of students into and out of academic proficiency, and the implementation of the pilot program, including how funds were spent by the districts. The report's findings included: academically disadvantaged students in the DSSF districts were substantially less likely to be taught by high quality teachers than were the proficient students in those districts; from one grade to the next, more students in the pilot districts drop below proficiency in math, but in reading there is a precipitous drop in proficiency during the first year of middle school - a drop from which students spend the next two years recovering; teachers and administrators in the DSSF districts identified turnover of teachers and district leaders as the main problems that contribute to the low student performance and high dropout rates in their district; the pilot districts spend most of their DSSF funds in the first two years on salaries for classroom teachers, yet those supplements still lag behind the supplements other districts offer. The report found that even with substantial funding increases supported by the Governor and General Assembly, serious issues continue to exist that present obstacles for moving greater numbers of North Carolina students into academic proficiency. In addition, the capacity of the state to interact with district officials and school personnel to make effective and sustainable changes has been severely constrained by lack of staff and funding to develop and carry out technical assistance.
NC Virtual Public School (LFI 7) - NC Virtual Public School (NCVPS) Interim Director John Boling briefed Board members on the school's projects and timeline, including course audits, teacher recruitment, summer and fall pre-registrations and teacher professional development. NCVPS is on schedule for offering summer school courses in six weeks and 97 courses this fall. Over 450 teachers have been successfully recruited with roughly one-third having never taught online. These new online teachers are taking a course to prepare them for this new instructional experience. Almost 1,000 students have pre-registered for summer and fall courses (55 percent summer/45 percent fall). All courses have been reviewed, and 100 teachers statewide are refining and cleaning up courses that had problems. NCVPS is now fully staffed and working on consolidating resources around the state (Cumberland County's Web Academy has joined NCVPS).
Committees' New Business
Twenty-First Century Systems' Business/Finance and Advocacy Committee
NC WISE Update - NCDPI Associate Superintendent for Technology and Information Services/Chief Information Officer Peter Asmar provided members with an NC WISE update. The WAVE 2 Implementation is completed and self sufficient for the first time. It is more stable and reliable than before, and the team is more focused on customer service and is receiving good client customer service scores. Work is still needed on stability, and the ESIS product continues to have bugs. Integration remains an issue, and the Department needs to look at new technologies but in a modular approach. This would get the Department the best vendors and reduce its risk and reliance on any one vendor.
The committee postponed its remaining new business items - Paying Teachers, Update on Research Intern Program and Pandemic Flu - until its June meeting.
Twenty-First Century Professionals
Proposal for Professional Learning Communities - NCDPI's Senior Professional Development Coordinator Stephen Greene discussed with committee members a proposal for professional development for school improvement. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are becoming more standard as more research indicates improved student learning requires both strong principal leadership as well as collaborative school cultures. He provided information on PLC research, PLC's in the Triangle (one is High Five - a regional partnership for high school excellence being used by Durham, Orange, Chapel Hill-Carrboro, Wake and Johnston Counties), the possibility of NCDPI partnering with High Five over the next two years to promote school improvement through professional development and help to provide continued opportunities for school districts to attend High Five PLC Institutes as well as follow-up sessions, and additional supports needed for the framework (online PLC training resources designed specifically for elementary, middle and high schools).
Equitable Distribution of Teachers - NCDPI Senior Policy Analyst Kathy Sullivan reviewed North Carolina's Equity Plan for Highly Qualified Teachers. She discussed teacher distribution, the problems districts have recruiting and retaining teachers, the difference between and within school systems in the need for teachers, and strategies to address the shortage and distribution of teachers in schools across the state. These strategies include publicly reporting teacher qualifications, LEA equity plans (districts show how they will ensure that poor or minority children are not taught by inexperienced, unqualified or out-of-field teachers at higher rates than other children), teacher working conditions (funds support both survey and related findings), mentoring, focus on teacher retention, financial incentives, turnaround teams for low-performing high schools, literacy coaches, expansion of access to teacher preparation programs, and NC Virtual Public School.
Special Recognition
Blue Ribbon Schools - State Board members recognized North Carolina's 2006 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools Brawley Middle (Iredell-Statesville Schools), Davis Drive Elementary (Wake County Schools), Eastover Central Elementary (Cumberland County Schools), and Laurel Hill Elementary (Scotland County Schools). Representatives of these schools were presented with a plaque and mug. W.A. Bess Elementary (Gaston County Schools) also received the award but staff were unable to attend the meeting.
Southeast Raleigh High School Band - Southeast Raleigh High School Band Director Clifton Scott discussed with Board members the band's decision to assist students in New Orleans impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The students raised funds to provide band instruments, uniforms, school supplies and art supplies for Joseph Clark High School, an inner city New Orleans school that suffered significant loses in the storm. Band members were recognized by the SBE members and congratulated for their good citizenship and caring attitude toward others.
Out-Going Senior Student Advisor to the SBE - Board members thanked outgoing Senior Student Advisor Melissa McCoy and presented her with a plaque in recognition of her service and dedication to the Board.
Chairman's Remarks
State Board Chairman Howard Lee announced that NCDPI Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and School Reform Services Elsie Leak had been inducted into UNC-Wilmington's Watson School of Education's Razor Walker Society. This Society awards the Razor Walker Award to honor individuals whose "vision, tenacity, courage and sacrifice have made a difference in the lives of young people in our state."
Clement Early College High School. Board members approved $5,000 from the State Board of Education's N.C. Education Fund to be used to support travel costs for students at Clement Early College High School at North Carolina Central University to attend a summit being held in Washington, D.C., on the issue of high school dropouts.
Superintendent's Report
State Superintendent June Atkinson highlighted a number of items in her monthly report including her attendance at the Council of Chief State School Officers' May conference, which focused on reauthorization of NCLB; the Northeast Leadership Summit, which brought together economic developers, business people and educators to focus on 21st century needs; Educate North Carolina - an educational outreach program tailored to fourth and eighth graders that is highlighting The Lost Colony's 70th anniversary; recent activities; and important dates (National Teacher Appreciate Day is May 8 and NCDPI Employee Appreciation Day is May 11).
Ongoing Business
Deputy State Superintendent J.B. Buxton updated Board members on two ongoing projects:
Boston Consulting Group. The Gates Foundation has provided 100 percent of the funds needed to contract with the Boston Consulting Group to perform a comprehensive review and overhaul of the state's assistance programs over the next four months. This review will provide staff an opportunity to see what is working and to create a unified, comprehensive consolidated assistance program. Over the next six months, the Boston Consulting Group will come back once a month to review progress and make sure benchmarks are being met.
Learn and Earn Online College Course Opportunity. Efforts to provide high school students with the opportunity to participate in the Learn and Earn Online College Course program are underway. Approximately 250 high schools are on board to participate in this initiative. Five working groups (Geographic Distribution, Student Support, Technology, Policy Barrier and Funding Issues, and Communication) comprised of members from the Department and the University and Community College Systems are spearheading efforts to identify and resolve issues related to implementation of this project.