SBE HIGHLIGHTS

JANUARY 6-8, 2009

Special Note:To review background materials on each item, please go to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/meetings/2009/01. 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

• Update Policy on Interscholastic Athletics (HRS 1) - The Board approved revising the age limit rules for athletics participation to align with the kindergarten entrance date (moving in 2009 from Oct. 15 to Aug. 31), the eligibility rule for non-traditional school schedules and the definition of a school year.
  
  
• Rubric for Preservice School Executive: Principal Programs (TCP 1) - Board members approved the proposed rubric to evaluate preservice school executives and school executive preparation programs. The assessment instrument aligns with the new evaluation instrument for school executives. The "re-visioned" school executive programs are expected to be operational no later than fall 2010.
  
  
• Licensing Physical Education and Health Teachers (TCP 2) - The addition of a license area in physical education and health and the authorization of the NCDPI Licensure Section to issue the new license to physical education teachers who meet the requirements were approved.
  
  
• Teacher Evaluation Policies (TCP 3) - Board members approved polices related to the new teacher evaluation instrument approved by members in June. Policies include requiring teachers to be evaluated annually using the new instrument, completing state-approved training on the new instrument and reporting summative ratings on the new instrument.
  
  
• Charter School Mission Statement Changes (LFI 1) - Board members approved requests from Evergreen Community Charter, Forsyth Academy, Guilford Preparatory Academy, Raleigh Charter High and Vance Charter to change their mission statements. Forsyth Academy’s revised mission was not approved because the revision would significantly shift the educational focus of the school under which the charter was approved.
  
  
• Phoenix Academy Name Change Request (LFI 2) - Board members did not approve a request from Phoenix Academy to change its name to The International School of the Piedmont at Phoenix Academy because it changes the curriculum and initial mission of the school under which the charter was approved.
  
  
• Revision of the Policy Regarding the State Advisory Council on Indian Education and Indian Education Programs (LFI 3) - Revisions to the State Advisory Council on Indian Education and Indian Education programs’ policy to reflect membership and responsibilities of the Council and the role of the NCDPI in supporting local school districts and Title VII Indian education programs was approved.

Action on First Reading

• 2008 Textbook Adoption and Textbook Commission Report (GCS 1) - Board members approved instructional materials for K-5 Mathematics, K-12 Healthful Living, 6-12 Career Development, 9-12 Health Occupation and 9-12 Trade and Industrial in addition to the Textbook Commission’s Report. The 2008 recommended and not recommended bid list is available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/textbook/adopted. Board members also heard and denied an appeal by Human Kinetics Inc. to overturn the Commission’s decision and to place this publisher’s item on the approved list.
  
  
• 2007-08 Appeals of the ABCs Growth Standards (GCS 2) - Board members approved the appeal of Chantilly Montessori School (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools) in regard to its growth standard and denied the appeals of Southwest High (Onslow County Schools), South Caldwell High (Caldwell County Schools), Myers Park High, Midwood High, Harding University High, West Charlotte High and West Mecklenburg High (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools).
  
  
• Changes to the 2007-08 ABCs/AYP Results (GCS 3) - The following changes to the 2007-08 ABCs/AYP results were approved. ABCs Status Changes: Long School went from Insufficient Data/No Status to High Growth Hospital/Homebound Ed C went from Insufficient Data to No Status Carter G. Woodson School of Challenge went from Under Review to High Growth Chantilly Montessori went from Insufficient Data to Expected Growth Queens Grant Community went from Under Review to High Growth Scotland Accelerated went from 95R to High Growth
  
  
• AYP Status Changes: Long School went from Special Evaluation to Not Met Hospital/Homebound Ed C went from Special Evaluation to Not Met Carter G. Woodson went from Under Review to Not Met Queens Grant Community went from Under Review to Not Met Millers Creek Elementary went from Not Met to Met
  
  
• Recommended Final Academic Achievement Standards (Cut Scores) and Final Achievement Level Descriptors for the North Carolina Reading Tests Grades 3-8 and Science 5, 8 and 10 (GCS 4) - Board members approved the Bookmark Standard Setting to establish the final academic achievement standards (cut scores) and final achievement level descriptors for the North Carolina Reading tests grades 3-8 and Science grades 5 and 8. The test data used to set the standards for the statewide reading assessments and the statewide science assessments were generated from the 2007-08 test administrations. The standards will be applied to student performance effective with the 2007-08 school year. The new cut scores continue the State Board's drive to raise standards for student performance, similar to actions it took in 2006 with mathematics. As a result, local educators and parents likely will see student scores drop in 2008. In fact, passing rates on the new 3-8 reading assessments are expected to range from approximately 52 percent to 61 percent, down from a range of 83 percent to 89 percent. In recognition of this, Board members also approved new Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) targets for determining Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) that are in line with the new expected passing rates on the new assessments.
  
  
• Recommended Final Cut Scores/Achievement Level Descriptors for NCCLAS Reading Grades 3-8 (GCS 5) - Recommended final cut scores/achievement level descriptors for NCCLAS Reading grades 3-8 were approved.
  
  
• Recommended Final Academic Achievement Standards (Cut Scores) and Final Achievement Level Descriptors for the NCEXTEND2 EOG Reading Grades 3-8 and for NCEXTEND2 EOG Science Grades 5 and 8 (GCS 6) - Recommended final academic achievement standards (cut scores) and final achievement level descriptors for the NCEXTEND2 EOG Reading grades 3-8 and for NCEXTEND2 EOG Science grades 5 and 8 were approved.
  
  
• Recommended Interim Academic Achievement Standards (Cut Scores) and Achievement Level Descriptors for the NCEXTEND1 Alternate Assessments in Reading Grades 3-8 and Science Grades 5, 8 and 10 (GCS 7) - Recommended interim academic achievement standards (cut scores) and achievement level descriptors for the NCEXTEND1 Alternate Assessments in Reading grades 3-8 and Science grades 5, 8 and 10 were approved. The interim standards will be re-evaluated in the summer of 2009 once a test-based method is used to validate the cut scores and the achievement level descriptors. Final achievement level standards and achievement level descriptors will be recommended to the Board for adoption in fall 2009.
  
  
• Recommended Final Academic Achievement Standards (Cut Scores) and Final Achievement Level Descriptors for the EOC Tests of Science (Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics) (GCS 8) - Recommended final academic achievement standards (cut scores) and final achievement level descriptors for the Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics end-of-course tests were approved. The final academic achievement standards are the same as the interim standards that were approved by the Board in February.
  
  
• Changes to North Carolina's NCLB Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook (GCS 9) - This item was moved to Action on First Reading. Changes to North Carolina's NCLB Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook to reflect the revised Annual Measurable Objectives based on the new, higher achievement level standards adopted by Board members for Reading grades 3-8 were approved. The U.S. Department of Education must approve these changes to the state's Accountability Workbook before the Department can apply the new cut scores and report the 2007-08 Reading AYP results to the Board in November. The new AYP targets are as follows: for the years 2007-08 through 2009-2010, the reading target will be 43.2 percent and the mathematics target will be 77.2 percent in grades 3-8; for Grade 10, the target will be 38.5 percent for reading/language arts and 68.4 percent for mathematics. These targets will go up in 2010-11 through 2012-13 to 71.6 percent in reading and 88.6 percent in math grades 3-8; and up to 69.3 percent in reading/language arts and 84.2 percent in mathematics for Grade 10. All targets move to 100 percent in 2013-14.

Discussion Agenda

• Changes to Policy Delineating the Components of the ABCs Accountability Program Including Adequate Yearly Progress for 2008-09 School Year (GCS 10) - Board members discussed changes to Board Policy HSP-C-020 to reflect the components of the ABCs accountability program including Adequate Yearly Progress for the 2008-09 school year. The changes include the elimination of writing in grades 4 & 7, the inclusion of the science results in grades 5 & 8 in the performance composite and not including non-exit standards EOC assessments in growth calculations but including them in the performance composite.
  
  
• High School Exit Documents (GCS 11) - Board members continued their discussion of a proposed policy that gives direction to local school districts regarding the awarding of certificates to students who do not meet the requirements for a high school diploma. The Graduation Certificate is primarily given to students who are severely and profoundly disabled and have Individualized Education Programs. The Certificate of Achievement would be given to students who have satisfied all state and local graduation requirements other than the proficiency standards as defined in HSP-N-000, or students in the Occupational Course of Study who have not completed the 360 hours of competitive employment or who have not met the proficiency standards. These certificates would allow students to participate in graduation exercises.
  
  
• 2009-2011 Biennial Budget Request (TCS 1) - Board members discussed potential budget items brought for discussion by the Department for their 2009-2011 Biennial Budget Request, which is due to the Office of State Budget and Management on Nov. 14. The Board's budget request cannot exceed $390 million, which is 5 percent higher than its 2008-09 budget. Various NCDPI staff members including Assistant State Superintendent/Deputy Chief Academic Officer Angela Quick (Assessment Development and Standards), Deputy State Superintendent J.B. Buxton (District and School Transformation), Associate State Superintendent for Financial and Business Services Philip Price (State School Lunch Subsidy/Mentor Program), Transportation Services Section Chief Derek Graham (School Bus Fuel), Associate State Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer Rebecca Garland (Executive and Teacher Evaluation Instruments) and Exceptional Children Division Director Mary Watson (Exceptional Children) provided details regarding the budget requests under their areas of supervision. State Board members will prepare a complete list of priorities for presentation at their November meeting.
  
  
• Proposed Revisions to the Non-Teaching Work Experience and Graduate Pay Policies (TCP 6) - Board members continued their discussion of proposed changes to the non-teaching work experience and graduate pay policies. The proposed revisions would allow one year of experience credit to be awarded for every year of full-time non-teaching work experience, up to 10 years, for work requiring a bachelor's degree or equivalent completed after the bachelor's degree was awarded. The proposed revisions also would recognize all graduate degrees earned through regionally accredited institutions. No revisions are proposed to the manner in which non-teaching work experience credit is awarded for teacher assistants or for Class V Career and Technical Trade and Industry licensed areas. This item was held for discussion again this month to allow for stakeholder input

Issues Session

"Plan for Implementing the Framework for Change: The Next Generation of Assessments and Accountability" - Following a brief summary of the state's accountability and assessment program by NCDPI Associate State Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer Rebecca Garland, NCDPI Assistant State Superintendent/Deputy Chief Academic Officer Angela Quick presented Board members with the Department's "Response to The Framework for Change: The Next Generation of School Standards, Assessments and Accountability October 2008." The Framework is comprised of three key components: essential standards, aligned assessments and school accountability. Quick discussed how the essential standards, which lay the groundwork for the other two components, would be developed and how key stakeholders would be involved. The comprehensive, balanced assessment system will both inform and drive instruction by providing for formative assessment at the classroom level, benchmark assessments for classrooms, schools and districts, and statewide summative assessment information. The assessment component is the driving force to improve student achievement. For school accountability, the Department recommended that a Technical Advisory Committee be convened to explore the adoption of a new growth model to track student progress. She recommended that Department staff start with content standards revisions in K-8 mathematics and science, computer skills and tenth grade English and that development of new assessments work in tandem with the rewrite of these curricula. Quick concluded with a timeline for completion of this work, a discussion of technology needs and potential costs. Deputy State Superintendent J.B. Buxton discussed next steps saying the Department is "ready to roll with Board approval." Accountability Services Director Lou Fabrizio concluded the Issues Session with an update on immediate improvement items that the Department is addressing, including one item needing Board action: the counting of retest scores in performance composites.

Chairman's Remarks

State Board of Education Chairman Howard Lee in his remarks recognized the efforts and achievement of the Department's NC WISE staff, commended outgoing Textbook Commission Chair Dr. Susan Purser and noted that Board member Kathy Taft and Associate State Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer Rebecca Garland represented the Board at the Achieve Conference held in Washington D.C., and called on the Board's Healthy Responsible Students Adviser Paula Collins who provided an update on the activities of the Childhood Obesity Task Force. State Board Assistant Executive Director Betsy West said that the National Association of State Boards of Education would be holding its fall conference in Washington on Oct. 16-18 and that the Graduation by Design Conference is scheduled for Oct. 9. Staff members are currently updating Board policy headings and numbers. She concluded by welcoming Joan Champagne, the new paralegal for the State Board of Education. Board Legislative Liaison Chris Minard had two items she wanted to call to Board members' attention: an update of the activities of the North Carolina General Assembly's Dropout Prevention Committee and the Oct. 14-15 meeting of the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.

State Superintendent's Remarks

State Superintendent June Atkinson in her report to the Board congratulated Reagan High School (Winston-Salem/Forsyth Schools) and Reidsville High School (Rockingham County Schools) for opening student-run credit unions on their campuses. She discussed her meeting with First Lady Laura Bush, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, state superintendents from Alabama, Iowa and Massachusetts, and local superintendents from New York, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta to discuss the endorsement of the reinstatement of Reading First funding, and concluded her presentation by noting the groups, associations and schools she has spoken to, participated with or visited over the past month.

Deputy State Superintendent's Report

Deputy State Superintendent J.B. Buxton updated the Board on three items: the standardizing of the regional services provided by the Department with the adoption of eight standard regions for service to conform with the State Board of Education's eight regions; the Department's work with the North Carolina Community College System regarding over-age/under-credited students currently in the public school system and other alternatives to meet their academic needs; and an update on the Innovations Tour Day and the number of school districts currently participating in the Nov. 18 event.