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. Public Schools of North Carolina . . State Board of Education . . Department Of Public Instruction .

SBE HIGHLIGHTS

Nov. 4-5, 2009

Special Note:To review background materials on each item, please go to www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/meetings/2009/11. 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

  • Addition of Elementary (K-6) Content Area Concentrations as License Areas (TCP 1) - The addition of elementary (K-6) mathematics and science content areas as license areas was approved. To receive credit, teachers must complete 18 hours (six courses) of content-based graduate coursework in mathematics and/or science designed for elementary school teachers by approved North Carolina universities.

  • Final Decision in Contested Case: Provisions Community Development Corporation DBA Provisions Academy v. State Board of Education (LFI 1) - Board members approved adopting the Administrative Law Judge's decision as the agency's final decision.

Consent Agenda

  • The Report on LEA Status for Title III Improvement (GCS 3). Districts receiving Title III funds (funds that target English language acquisition and academic achievement of students who are limited English proficient) must meet a series of Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO). This report notes district performance and resulting consequences for not meeting targets.

Discussion Agenda

  • Changes to Policy Delineating End-of-Grade and End-of-Course Retests and Review Procedures (GCS 1) - This item was moved to the Discussion Agenda. Board members discussed removing the option for LEAs to administer a second retest of end-of-grade and end-of-course tests from the state's testing and accountability program beginning with the 2010-11 school year. Scores from the second retest are not included in ABCs or Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Members also discussed whether they should adjust the testing window for end-of-course tests given in the fall block. Consensus was to not make changes to the testing window.

  • Discussion of North Carolina's Proposed New Accountability Model (GCS 2) - Dr. William Sanders and Dr. June Rivers with SAS Institute's Value-Added Assessment and Research provided a presentation on how its Educational Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS) data could be used to improve, foster and track student performance. Data uses include identification of students most at risk for not meeting proficiency requirements at the next grade level or in required high school exit courses, minority students who have the potential for doing well in advanced courses, and students on track for admission at local universities. Teachers also could use the data to determine the academic capabilities of their students at the beginning of the school year as well as to determine how those students performed over the school year.

  • State Evaluation Committee Teacher Education Program Approval Recommendations (TCP 2) - The State Evaluation Committee on Teacher Education recommended approval of Brevard College's teacher education programs with the stipulation that the institution provide annual updates to the State Evaluation Committee on the implementation and impact of its diversity plan. The Committee also recommended approval of 276 revisioned teacher education programs to meet the new standards for teachers adopted by the Board in June 2007.

  • Establish Front-end Funding for Governor's School (TCS 1) - Options to cover the start-up/preparations costs for the 2010 Governor's School program were discussed. These included a one-time/non-recurring reduction of $700 to each LEA's Academically/Intellectually Gifted Student allotment, allowing LEAs the flexibility to determine which program area to reduce, and locating funds within the Department's budget. Board members also discussed a plan to administer a $500 student tuition fee to partially cover program costs for students attending the 2010 summer program.

  • North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) Funding Formula (TCS 2) - Board members discussed possible funding options for the North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS). Legislation requires the State Board to submit a funding formula for the NCVPS to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee in December. Funding formula options under consideration are: developing a formula where NCVPS is treated like an LEA with its own average daily membership, charging a fee per course, and developing a formula based on Florida's Virtual School formula (similar to the ADM formula option). Based on 2010-11 projections, the Department will need $17 million to fund the NCVPS.

Special Recognition

Board members welcomed their new junior student advisor, Brittney Del Pizzo. Del Pizzo is a student at South View High School, Cumberland County Schools.


Report on Findings from the Student Debt Tour

State Treasurer Janet Cowell provided a report on the Findings from the Student Debt Tour. During her discussions with college students, Cowell found that students open bank accounts and get credit cards when they start working in high school or start post-secondary education; that most students have not had financial education in high school or college; that students use credit cards for both consumer and direct education expenses; and that many students do not understand their overall debt burden and the consequences of accruing debt. Her recommendations included high schools sponsoring financial literacy programs, colleges and universities providing debt and credit card education programs during orientation, and restricting credit card companies' access to students.


Chairman's Remarks

  • The Center for International Understanding Executive Director Millie Ravenel provided an update on the State Board of Education's and the Jiangsu Province's Memorandum of Understanding. As an aside, she noted that State Board Chairman Bill Harrison and State Board member John Tate would be visiting China next month as part of the Center's Building Bridges initiative. Currently 24 North Carolina public schools have partnered with schools in Jiangsu Province, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district has been involved in a year-long exchange of teachers.

  • NC Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) Executive Director Mary McDuffie presented Board members a synopsis of their annual report. Next year NCCAT will celebrate its 25th anniversary. In 2008-09, NCCAT conducted 112 five-day seminars for both beginning and experienced teachers. They offer three types of programs: National Board Support Seminars, Renewal Seminars for Experienced Teachers and the Beginning Teachers' Program. Teacher retention rates are higher among teachers who have attended a NCCAT program and the percentage of teachers who attain National Board certification in the first year is higher for those who attended a support seminar. NCCAT covers all costs (except for travel) for teachers attending NCCAT.

  • Governor Bev Perdue has a new Web site, http://racetothetop.nc.gov, that follows North Carolina's response to Race to the Top.

 

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