SUPERINTENDENTS' MESSAGES 2013

SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Weekly Message for Superintendents: Monday, Sep. 3, 2013

On Thursday, the State Board of Education is expected to approve cut scores for the new end-of-grade and end-of-course tests. This action will set new standards for proficiency for our students for the first time since 2006 when North Carolina raised standards for mathematics. The standard-setting process involved classroom teachers evaluating questions to determine items most likely to be answered correctly by students at each achievement level. The new standards will be tough to meet, and we know that fewer students will be classified as proficient as a result. We are developing communication outreach for parents, teachers, lawmakers and business and community leaders to help them understand the purpose for raising standards. In past years as standards have become more rigorous, there have been drop-offs in scores followed by steady increases in scores. We expect to see the same pattern this time, but with more significant drops if the experiences of Kentucky and New York hold true in North Carolina.

June Atkinson
State Superintendent

Invitation
(jpg, 331kb)

HB Weekly Update
(pdf, 235kb)

In this Weekly Superintendents' Message:

1. State Board of Education Meets this Week
2. Board to Approve Achievement Level Descriptors and Levels at Monthly Meeting
3. Home Base Educator Evaluation System Challenges
4. Teacher Effectiveness and Teacher Contracts Webinar Scheduled
5. Webinars Focus on Cooperative Innovative High School Application Cycle
6. Superintendent Vacancy Announced: Gaston County Schools
7. 2013-14 Title I Reward Schools Named
8. Finance Officers' Newsletter Online

State Board of Education Meets this Week

The State Board of Education will meet tomorrow and Thursday in the 7th Floor Board Room, Education Building, Raleigh. Action items include Public Charter School Advisory Council charter recommendations, recommended achievement level descriptors and cut scores, additional waiver to the North Carolina Elementary and Secondary Act waiver and LEA budget flexibility. Discussion items include initial teacher licensure exam requirements, individual class size waiver request process, and master’s, advanced and doctorate pay for teachers. The complete agenda as well as supporting executive summaries are available online at stateboard.ncpublicschools.gov/ (click on SBE Meetings then Meetings). The meeting is audio streamed for those who cannot attend. To listen in, please visit the above link and click on the live audio streams link to the right.

Board to Approve Achievement Level Descriptors and Levels at Monthly Meeting

The Achievement Level Descriptors and the Achievement Levels (cut scores) for the new assessments (end-of-grade and end-of-course) administered in 2012-13 in mathematics, English language arts/reading, and science will be recommended to State Board members for approval on Thursday, Sept. 5. Once members approve the cut scores, the NCDPI will prepare the 2012-13 accountability reports, which will be presented to the SBE at the Oct. 3 meeting. The individual student reports with student-level performance on the 2012-13 assessments will be available for districts to print and distribute on Oct. 7.  

Home Base Educator Evaluation System Challenges

Superintendents are reminded to take a moment – if you haven’t already – and review the document sent to you late Thursday afternoon from CFO/CIO Philip Price regarding early implementation challenges with the Home Base Educator Evaluation System and steps the department is taking to address them. If you have questions about Home Base, its components and functionality, please start with your Project Manager at the school or school district level. If there's no solution there, please contact the Home Base Support Center at 919.807.4357 or e-mail your specific questions to the Center at homebase.incidents@its.nc.gov. The Center operates from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.

Teacher Effectiveness and Teacher Contracts Webinar Scheduled

A webinar focused on Teacher Effectiveness and Teacher Contracts has been scheduled for Monday, Sept. 9, from 2-3:30 p.m. To register, please visit https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/302720448. Once registered, you will receive an e-mail message with participation instructions.

Webinars Focus on Cooperative Innovative High School Application Cycle

- Districts interested in applying for a Cooperative Innovative High School during the 2013-14 application cycle may wish to view the webinar, now available online at http://goo.gl/zayy6B. The webinar offers an overview of the application document and guidance on the application process. NCDPI staff recommends that district application teams view this webinar and also make plans to participate in a follow-up webinar on Sept. 10 at 10:30 a.m. The follow-up webinar will be live and will provide an opportunity for applicants to ask questions about the application process. To participate in this session, please register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/250494752. CIHS applications are due Nov. 1.

Superintendent Vacancy Announced: Gaston County Schools

The Gaston County Board of Education is seeking a superintendent to lead the school system in its continuing pursuit of excellence. Candidates must have or be qualified to hold a North Carolina superintendent license. Central office and building-level experience are preferred. A doctorate degree or progress toward a doctorate degree is preferred but not required. The individual chosen will be required to live in Gaston County. The application deadline is Oct. 7. An electronic version of the application is available by going to the N.C. School Board Association's website at www.ncsba.org and clicking on the appropriate link. Inquiries and requests for applications also can be directed to Allison Schafer, Legal Counsel/Director of Policy, North Carolina School Boards Association, PO Box 97877, Raleigh NC 27624-7877, telephone 919/841-4040, fax 919/841-4020, e-mail aschafer@ncsba.org. All inquires will be kept confidential.

2013-14 Title I Reward Schools Named

- Kudos to the 174 Title I schools recently recognized as Title I Reward Schools for 2013-14. From these schools, two will be selected to represent North Carolina in the national Title I Distinguished Schools Program. To find out what Title I schools need to do to receive this recognition as well as access the list of recipients, please visit www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under “News.”

Finance Officers' Newsletter Online

The Aug. 30 edition of the Finance Officers’ newsletter is online and contains the following items: Adding Staff Without Social Security Numbers to UID, Title I – Comprehensive Continuous Improvement Plan, Federal Overspent Programs (LEAs), Closed PRC’s BUD Transactions, and Conversion of Teaching Positions to Dollars for International Faculty Exchange Programs. To read more, please go to the NCDPI's Financial and Business Services Web site at www.ncpublicschools.org/fbs and click on Resources, then Newsletters.