SBE HIGHLIGHTS
SBE HIGHLIGHTS
JULY 31-AUGUST. 2, 2007
Special Note:To review background materials on each item, please go to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/meetings/2007/08. 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
K-2 Literacy Assessment Task Force Recommendations (GCS 1) - Board members discussed the K-2 Literacy Assessment Task Force report, but said that they needed additional time for discussion before acting on the report's recommendations. The report recommends revising the North Carolina K-2 Literacy Assessment for enhanced curriculum alignment based on current research, greater applicability and adaptability to all children, and the assurance that educators would receive professional development in using the North Carolina K-2 Literacy Assessment. Districts would be required to implement the tool, participate in aggregate of data at the state level and share best practices.
Proposed Standards for the Approval of Pilot Programs for the Licensing of Lateral Entry Teachers (TCP 1) - Proposed standards for the approval of pilot programs for the licensing of lateral entry teachers were approved. The pilot programs are to be designed to meet the unique and specific needs of lateral entry teachers and the school systems employing them.
Action on First Reading
Recommended Interim Academic Achievement Standards (Cut Scores) for the NCEXTEND2 OCS Assessments in the Areas of English and Mathematics (GCS 2) - Interim academic achievement standards (cut scores) for NCEXTEND2 OCS assessments in the areas of OCS English and OCS Mathematics were adopted for implementation effective with the 2006-07 school year. The standards will be re-evaluated at the end of the 2007-08 school year.
2007-08 Special Provisions (TCS 1) - Board members agreed to authorize permissive actions referenced in special provisions. These 13 provisions include funds to implement the ABCs, Learn and Earn High Schools, the School Connectivity Initiative, High Priority Schools and Distance Education.
Approval of Charter School Technology Plan (TCS 2) - State Board members approved the technology plan for Clover Garden Charter School (Alamance County). Approval qualifies Clover Garden for the School Technology Trust Fund, No Child Left Behind, and federal eRate monies, as well as a variety of private technology grants.
Request from Clinton City, Newton-Conover City, Beaufort County, Chatham County, Northampton County, Warren County and Wayne County for the Flexible Use of Mentor Funds (TCS 3) - Plans for the flexible use of mentor teacher funds submitted by Clinton City, Newton-Conover City, Beaufort County, Chatham County, Northampton County, Warren County and Wayne County were approved.
Discussion Agenda
Proposed Revision of the Standards for the Evaluation of Superintendents (TCP 4) - Board members discussed new standards for the evaluation of superintendents. Stakeholders across the state have reviewed and commented on the draft standards, including the North Carolina School Boards Association. The standards address the following leadership areas: strategic, instructional, cultural, human resource, managerial, external development, and micropolitical. Upon Board approval, staff will begin work on the development and validation of a new evaluation instrument for superintendents. The NCDPI already has begun working with public and private colleges and universities to prepare for this change.
Job Descriptions and Salary Upgrades for Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physical Therapist Assistant (TCP 5) - Proposed job descriptions and salary upgrades for Occupational Therapist Assistants and Physical Therapist Assistants were discussed. These paraprofessionals serve students who have, or who are suspected of having, disabilities in a variety of areas. The job descriptions were updated to reflect the current nature of work and the requisite knowledge, skills, training and licensure necessary for these positions in the state's public schools. It also is recommended that the pay grades be upgraded to be congruent with similar positions in other areas of state government.
New Century Charter High School Name Change Request (LFI 1) - The Board of New Century Charter High School has requested that the name of the school be changed to The Hawbridge School to reflect more accurately the school's focus on environmental studies and its location near the Haw River.
Committees' New Business
Leadership for Innovation Committee
The committee approved the proposal to change the name of New Century Charter High School to the Hawbridge School. Members received reports on the progress of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Charter Schools and an update of the school turnaround efforts, which included a brief discussion on the importance of improved performance in feeder middle schools. Robert Logan reported on the assistance model work being done with the Boston Consulting Group.
Globally Competitive Students
Graduation Project Update - Board members received an update on the Graduation Project implementation from Rick Basom of the Partnership for Dynamic Learning. He asked the board to select two low-wealth public schools to participate in a special partnership with UNC-Greensboro that will assist the schools in implementation of the graduation project and allow the schools to use an electronic management system. The Department is to provide the names to UNC-Greensboro. After hearing an additional report about professional development efforts concerning graduation projects, committee members then discussed other ways to better implement such projects in schools having trouble with implementation.
Personal Financial Literacy Bill and Training Update - The GCS committee was briefed on the Personal Financial Literacy Bill and related training for Civics and Economics and middle school teachers. The committee noted that the focus should be on high school, not middle school, teachers and that every effort should be made to train as many teachers during the first half of the school year rather than during the second.
High School Accountability Model Update - Committee members received a draft copy of the SBE policy highlighting the components of the ABCs program for the 2007-08 school year. It lists how each component will be used: ABCs growth, performance composite, adequate yearly progress. NCDPI Accountability Services Director Lou Fabrizio said that the department will not bring the amended policy to the SBE for approval until after the Blue Ribbon Commission on Testing and Accountability submits its recommendations. He also mentioned that some components of the model are no longer applicable (Competency Passing Rate) and that another (College University Prep/College Tech Prep) will have to change in a few years because of the new high school exit standards. References to documents on the DPI Web site with details of the growth formulas were noted as well.
Twenty-First Century Systems' Business/Finance and Advocacy Committee
Technology and NC WISE Update - Associate Superintendent Peter Asmar described results of the most recent client satisfaction survey done by Technology Services. Done in May, it showed an 8 percentage point increase since November 2006 in overall satisfaction among internal and external respondents. A total of 90 percent of customers indicated overall satisfaction. On the NC WISE project, Asmar described a project that is increasingly reliable, stable and self sufficient. More integration is needed in the project, and the NC WISE team is looking at new technologies for the future. Project leaders and local school district representatives are especially interested in using a modular approach to providing all the needs of the project. This will give the project a lower level of risk and reduce reliability on a small number of vendors.
Connectivity Project Update - A total of $12 million in school connectivity funds were provided in this legislative session and is the first effort in the state's plan to provide core services for connectivity to all school districts. It is estimated that 89 percent of LEA connectivity will be covered through this project, which is in partnership with the School Connectivity Initiative, MCNC and State ITS. Work will be centered around five strategies: establishing a shared education backbone for K-12 connectivity, providing an opt-in services model that provides core services plus value added network services; implementing a community-driven collaboration model; developing an effective and efficient operation organization that best fits the needs of service delivery and accountability; and sustaining the operation leveraging myriad funding resources from all sources.
Twenty-First Century Professionals
Update on the Regional Alternative Licensure Centers - In 2002, the SBE and NCDPI established three Regional Alternative Licensure Centers in Charlotte, Fayetteville and Nashville in response to concerns from lateral entry teachers and in an attempt to make lateral entry requirements more uniform. All parts of the state are served by the three centers, which have a strong partnership with local school systems. Of all new teacher hires, about one-fifth are lateral entry teachers, and the lateral entry route to a teaching license attracts a higher percentage of minorities and males - two groups in short supply in the teaching profession - than the traditional teacher education program. Lateral teachers also tend to be older, with an average age of 32.
Special Recognition
Recognition of Teachers with 50 Years of Teaching Service - Seven North Carolina public school teachers who had at least 50 years of service were honored by the Board. The teachers came from districts across the state and have taught a variety of different grade levels. Some will continue teaching this coming school year; others have retired since the last time the Board honored new 50-year veterans two years ago. The full list of honorees and the schools at which they ended their careers or still teach:
- Everlene Davis, South Columbus High School
- Elizabeth Jacobs, South Columbus High School
- Dorothy Calloway, Pilot Mountain Middle School
- Princeton Towe McDowell, Pines Elementary School
- Eugene Frederick Doane, South Brunswick High School
- Janet Groomer, Underwood Elementary School
- Peggy Rickert, Statesville Middle School
Recognition of New State Board of Education Members - Eulada Watt and Kevin Howell were sworn in as members of the Board. Watt, who is co-chair of the 21st Century Professionals Committee, represents the 6th Education District. Howell, who will chair the Business/Finance and Advocacy Committee, represents the 3rd Education District.
Chairman's Remarks
The State Board is planning a retreat in October. The location and other details are pending.
State Superintendent's Report State Superintendent June Atkinson highlighted a number of items in her monthly report including the Council of Chief State School Officers' Summer Institute, the federal grant received by NCDPI recently for a common education data analysis and reporting system and several upcoming conferences and events.
New Business
Board members approved their 2007-08 meeting schedule.
Deputy State Superintendent's Report
Deputy State Superintendent J.B. Buxton updated Board members on several ongoing projects and highlighted Web pages set up for the following projects: high school turnaround, Learn and Earn Online, and the assistance redesign project. All pages are part of the NCDPI's Web site, www.ncpublicschools.org.