SBE HIGHLIGHTS

MARCH 3-5, 2009

Special Note:To review background materials on each item, please go to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/meetings/2009/03. 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).

Special Board Actions

Board members recognized:

• New State Board of Education member Dr. Bill Harrison who was sworn into service by North Carolina Superior Court Judge Carl Fox. Harrison was later elected Chairman of the State Board of Education. On Wednesday, he was appointed as the Board's Chief Executive Officer effective March 5, 2009.
  
  
• Outgoing Deputy State Superintendent J.B. Buxton who was presented with a resolution honoring his contributions to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
  
  
• Outgoing State Board of Education Chairman Howard Lee who was presented with the North Carolina Association of School Administrators' "Champion for Children"award by NCASA Executive Director Bill McNeal. The award was given to Lee in honor of his commitment and leadership in enhancing and supporting North Carolina public schools. Lee also was presented with a resolution honoring his service as a State Board member and as Chairman.

Action Agenda

• Lateral Entry Licenses for NC Virtual Public School Teachers of Critical Languages (TCP5) - This item was moved to Action on First Read. Board members approved a proposal to allow the NCVPS to request lateral entry licenses for teachers of critical languages. Individuals issued a lateral entry license at the request of the NCVPS would be subject to the same requirements as all other lateral entry teachers.
  
  
• 1:1 Learning Technology Initiative Report (LFI 1) - The first-year evaluation report of the NC 1:1 Laptop Pilot Initiative (a two-year pilot program) including conclusions, lessons learned and next steps was approved for submittal to the North Carolina General Assembly. The pilot's goal is to use technology to improve teaching practices, increase student achievement and better prepare students for work, citizenship and life in the 21st century. In the pilot schools, every teacher and student received a laptop computer, and wireless Internet access was provided throughout the school. Initial findings include: students appear to be more engaged in learning and classroom activities and indicate they feel they are benefiting in the development of 21st century skills. Teachers are taking advantage of connectivity in interesting and important ways, such as asynchronous collaboration through resources such as Google Docs, and are involving students in virtual field trips, accessing online resources and interacting with online guest speakers. The NC 1:1 Laptop pilot initiative is a public-private partnership between the Golden LEAF Foundation, SAS Institute, the North Carolina New Schools Project, the Friday Institute and the NCDPI that provides 21st century resources to teachers and students at eight high schools.
  
  
• Renewal Recommendations for Charter Schools with Charter Expiring June 2009 (LFI 2) - The Board approved the renewal of Torchlight Academy's (Wake County) charter for two years subject to several conditions. Failure to satisfy any of the conditions may result in disciplinary action against Torchlight Academy, up to and including termination of its charter.
  
  
• Program Approvals Under the Innovative Education Initiatives Act (LFI 3) - Board members approved the following Early College High School programs for implementation in the 2009-2010 school year: Cabarrus-Kannapolis Early College (Cabarrus County Schools, Kannapolis City Schools/Rowan-Cabarrus Community College), Early College EAST (Eastern Applied Science and Technology) High School (Craven County Schools/Craven Community College), Franklin County Early College High School (Franklin County Schools/Vance-Granville Community College), Granville County Early College High School (Granville County Schools/Vance-Granville Community College), Henderson County Early College (Henderson County School/Blue Ridge Community College), Mayland Early College High School (Mitchell County Schools, Avery County Schools, Yancey County Schools/Mayland Community College), Stokes County Early College High School (Stokes County Schools/Forsyth Technical College), Wake NC State University Early College High School (Wake County Schools/North Carolina State University), Roanoke Valley Early College (Weldon City Schools/Halifax Community College), Wilkes Early College High School (Wilkes County Schools/Wilkes Community College), Wilson Early College Academy (Wilson County Schools/Wilson Community College) and James Kenan Early College High School (Duplin County Schools/James Sprunt Community College).

Board members also approved:

• A request by Human Kinetics, Inc. to remove the grade four textbook in its World of Wellness Health Education (WOW) series from the state textbook adopted list. (GCS 2)
  
  
• Over $2.6 million in 21st Century Community Learning Center Program Grants for 14 programs in nine local districts. (TCS1)
  
  
• Locating a fourth Regional Alternative Licensure Center in Catawba County under the condition that the new center will be monitored closely for sustainability, especially during the current budget situation. The Centers are authorized to review transcripts, prescribe plans of study leading to licensure and directly recommend teachers for licensure. (TCP1)
  
  
• Receipt of the APA Policies on Teacher Evaluation Process: Public Comments Report (TCP 3)

Discussion Agenda

• Allowing Retest Results in the Calculation of Performance Composites of the ABCs and AYP (GCS 4) - Board members continued their discussion of allowing retest results in the calculation of performance composites of the ABCs and AYP. Staff members were asked to explore the possibility of retesting only Level II students with an "opt-in" for Level I students.

Board members also discussed:

• The 2009 Invitation to Submit Textbooks for evaluation and adoption in North Carolina for the following curriculum areas: Mathematics 6-12, Second Languages 6-12, English Language Development (ESL) K-12 and Agriculture Education 7-12. The invitation letter is available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/textbook/publishers/invitation. (GCS 3)
  
  
• Changing State Board Policy HSP-C-020 for the 2008-09 school year to reflect that students taking Occupational Course of Study (OCS) assessments would be counted as non-participants for AYP purposes for that year. This is a result of the US Department of Education Peer Review finding that the NCDPI OCS curriculum and assessments are weakly linked to the general curriculum. State Superintendent June Atkinson has sent a letter to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan asking that North Carolina be allowed to continue with its current system until the new curriculum and assessments can be put in place. The State Board will not take action until Secretary Duncan responds. (GCS5)
  
  
• Revised eligibility requirements for provisional licensing in school counseling and school social work. The revisions, if approved by the Board in April, would be effective July 1, 2009. NCDPI staff members are currently conducting meetings across the state to explain the new standards and have received positive feedback from LEAs, schools, counselors, social workers teachers and university training programs. (TCP 4)

Information Agenda

• Consolidated Data Report: Crime and Violence, Suspensions and Expulsions, and Dropout Rates and Counts (HRS 1) - According to the 2007-08 Consolidated Data Report, the rate of school crime and violence in North Carolina increased slightly in 2007-08 along with long-term student suspensions and expulsions. At the same time, short-term suspensions and the annual dropout rate declined. This report marks the first time that all of these related data were assembled and reported at once. While there were few statewide patterns concerning school district performance in all three areas, the report noted that ninth grade males are the group at highest risk for dropping out, being suspended or expelled and for committing acts of crime or violence at school. Yadkin County was the only school district to have low rates for all three measures. Five school districts - Clay County, Mount Airy City, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City, Elkin City and Cherokee County - were on two of the three top 10 lists in terms of districts with the best performance in all three reporting areas. School districts with positive performance in the three areas reported using a variety of approaches to help improve student behavior and prevent dropouts. These include ninth grade academies, Positive Behavior Support, credit recovery programs, alternative programs and schools, early college and high school/college dual enrollment opportunities and better use of data to adjust school strategies.