NCAE SBE Review NCAE CTL
Lee County Schools presented an overview of their Global Preparation Through a World of Languages. Lee County is using RT3 funds to incorporate a world language program that not only impacts the academic side of school but the economic issues facing students in the 21st Century. This year the program was implemented in the three middle schools and next year will be system wide in all grades. The tool in use is Rosetta Stone Educational Learning Software. Students spend 30 minutes a day on a language of their choice. Students who spoke were taking Italian, Chinese and Arabic.
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SBE Condemns the State Budget and Passes A Resolution! At the conclusion of the June State Board meeting Chairman Bill Harrison shared the following about the proposed budget. The State Budget is an act of smoke and mirrors and is undermining the progress and reform North Carolina has made over the last 10 to 15 years. Public education in NC is NOT BROKEN! Yes, there are things that we can do better and we were on a path to continue reform but now, we are not so sure. The budget writers claim they are “right sizing” government; but yet programs and support for the general public will have less funds to carry out mandates and new Task Forces and Commissions are being created to work parallel with some agencies. The flex spending plan, touted as a way to save public educator jobs, pushes down to the LEAs decisions and reversions that will not save jobs. Local Boards will have to “give back” or revert more funds to the state (this year $428 million and next year at least a half a billion). These reductions in local funding will mean 9,200 positions. There will be no Edu-jobs funding! The budget has special provisions costing money. One is to study how to improve K-3 reading; programs that were working were cut out of the budget last year. There is no need to study this issue because there is data and programs with strategies that work. One of the resources to support K-3 reading/literacy is the NC Teacher Academy, which is being eliminated as well. To reduce paper work they have eliminated the School Improvement Plan and Team, with the sole purpose to focus on student achievement and school climate; as well they have eliminated the required Safe School Plans. The programs and “reforms” in the proposed budget make little sense when you look at the whole picture. This budget is slowly dismantling public education and the support to the profession; cutting NC Teaching Fellows, NC Teacher Cadet, school programs that have made positive impacts on student achievement; like More at Four and Smart Start! The budget writers and supporters do not care about safety in the school communities. If they cared there would be other ways to reduce paper work besides eliminating plans and collaboration among staff. If they wanted schools to remain a safe place they would not be cutting Assistant Principal positions or allowing loaded guns on a school campus. This budget confuses people because the wrong facts are being presented. Schools in NC are not broken, yet! Over the last five years the graduation rate has gone from 62% to 74% and more progress will be announced soon. The state funds K-3 teachers 1:18, and you will not see many classes of 18, nor will we see a K-3 class in the future with 15 students. The SBE/DPI and other partners hope to survive these draconian acts. This budget is bad for education and is bad for the state of NC!
NCAE Center for Teaching and Learning
NCAE SBE Review May 2011
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Effective Leaders and Teachers: RT3 news NC, being a Race to the Top State, has to create new measures and standards for educators that connect to student growth beyond what is already built in to the NC EES. A Teacher Effectiveness Workgroup has been plugging away for several months on what the multiple measures and standard should be.
School Executives will contribute to the academic success of students. The work of the school executive will result in acceptable, measurable progress for students based on established performance expectations using appropriate data to demonstrate growth.
of Standards IV and VI of the Teacher Evaluation Process.
Proceeding with Caution! Please
note that no teacher will be evaluated on the sixth (VI) standard until he/she has three (3) years of valid student achievement data. This one new standard will not be a stand alone piece of Standard VI for Teachers: Teachers the evaluation process. There will be In 2011 NC must report to the Feds an Contribute to the Academic Success of no negative consequences on standard aggregate report of where leaders and Students. The work of the teacher re- VI unless there are other issues with teachers fall within the current evalua- sults in acceptable, measurable properformance on Standards I-V. Using tion system. It has been decided that gress for students based on estabthe current data for grades 3-8 math NC will use the median in the aggrega- lished performance expectations using and English, less than 5% are not maktion of evaluation ratings for this fed- appropriate data to demonstrate ing expected growth. Under the cureral report. Each educator will have growth. rent EVAAS system, nearly 80% of the the standards listed by “rating� order teachers stay in the same category The Feds are requiring RT3 States to to discern the median score for each each year. So the five standards with evaluate teachers annually. Right now individual. Example: V; D, II; P, III; P, embedded student achievement matin NC LEAs are not required to conduct I; P, IV; d. The rating evaluation for ter and connections are being made. full summative observation cycles for educator X would be Proficient. all staff once tenured. The new NC EES Over the summer 50 teacher work One possible component for the is a wonderful tool and growth model groups will begin creating multiple multiple measurement could be a stu- that is creating powerful learning com- measures in the non-tested subject dent survey. There are student surmunities. The process is time consum- areas to support the new standard. veys that align to the NC EES coning and there is no way that a principal NCAE members have been involved in structs. The plan is to pilot next year of a large school can conduct a full the Teacher Effectiveness Workgroup in 16 LEAs, 2 in each Education Disevaluation cycle of all staff every year. and NCAE members will be part of trict, a student survey that will connect The workgroup is also recommending these 50 work groups. If you have speto the new standard for both teachers the following policy change for SBE cific questions; contact President Sheri and principals. Data collected would approval for July. Strickland or Angela Farthing in the be one of the multiple measures for NCAE Center for Teaching and LearnEach local board shall adopt a policy the new standard. ing. requiring career teachers to be evaluThe Workgroup along with the NC Pro- ated annually. The annual evaluation fessional Teaching Standards Commis- requirement shall be met either: (1) sion recommends the following: Stan- Using the Evaluation Process as set dard VIII for Administrators: Acaforth in 16 NCAC 6C.0503; or (2) Using demic Achievement Leadership. an abbreviated evaluation consisting
NCAE Center for Teaching and Learning
June 2011
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Needs Assessment for Transition of
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DHHS Schools The NC DPI Transformation Team worked with the DHHS Superintendent to carry out an audit to gather data for the transition of the Eastern and Western School for the Deaf and the Governor Morehead School for the Blind to the NC DPI. DHHS Schools matter!
Consistent needs at all three schools:
Implementing PD based on Guskey’s evaluation tools: 1.
Reaction of Session
2.
Learning a new skill
3.
Organizational Support for Change and Practice
4.
Use of Knowledge and Engagement in classroom
5.
Student Learning Outcomes : Impact
Clarity of vision and mission
Strategic Planning for programmatic support
Mentoring and quality feedback to teachers on their work
Alignment of programs with instructional goals
Improving parent/ guardian communication
Improving the quality of teaching and learning at all grade levels with specific IEP goals
Profound integration of technology
Instructional needs at the school sites:
Leadership
Common Core and Essential Standards Professional Development Update Work on the new Essential Standards is done! In NC the Standard Course of Study, now known as the Essential Standards, has fewer, clearer and more rigorous goals. The ACRE project work is 1/3 complete. The staff at NC DPI are working on a cross walk of standards to provide professional development support for measuring growth. Teachers must understand the new standards and the new generation of assessments for student and teacher success. Teachers must have tools and strategies to help them implement common core standards in math and English and to work in PLCs as they change the culture in their schools. NC DPI using RT3 funds to jump start the new PD, will hold regional summer institutes in June-July to build capacity
NCAE SBE Review
for teacher leaders within their schools. All of the PD sessions will be based on research-based activities. There will be blended PD; face to face, PLC conversations, webbased and webinars. NC DPI will follow up on the PD sessions to see how teacher behaviors have changed and what they are implementing in their lessons. There will be job embedded coaching using PD Leads, RESA and hopefully other mentors and instructional leaders. The PD cycle will begin an annual process to support teachers with the new standards and assessments.; Summer Institutes, five RESA follow up sessions through out the year, and formative assessment by teachers year long.
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Next Generation of Assessment: ACRE update based and online computer generated assessments. Here is a sampling of what the students said:
As the state moves into the next generation of assessments, the NC DPI conducted a survey of the students who were participating in field tests this year, using web-
84% said they did not find the online format a problem to navigate 85% said they are using tech tools beyond what the school provides 61% stated that they had submitted writing sam-
ples via e/mail or web application 78% said they knew how to operate a hand held device The question on, Was the online assessment better than paper and pencil assessments? 51% - yes, 33% Did not respond and 16% said no.
The SBE believes that the proposed Senate budget
Other Actions 1.
Approved the CTE essential standards revisions.
2.
Approved 54 of 105 Supplemental Educational Service Providers for the coming year.
3.
Approved Impact Grants for East Alexander Middle, Enka High School, Robert Patton High School, New
Bern High and West Craven High, Pine Forest High, Glenn High and Paisley IB Magnet, Archdale Middle, Hamlet Middle and Toisnot Middle.
6.
Approved the Nash-Rocky Mount TIMS system change.
7.
4.
Approved funding for 42 Homeless Children Youth Grants.
Discussed the NCVPS funding formula.
8.
5.
Approved LEA-based cal-
Approved Haywood County Dropout Recovery Pilot program.
endar waivers for weather related causes.
derails public education and public school success!
Phase II SIG Schools Approved The following schools have been approved for round two of SIG in NC: Dare County Alternative School, Green Central High, Dillard Academy a charter school, YE Smith and Hillside in Durham, Longview in Wake, Warren High School, Westover in Cumberland,
Wiley Elementary and Andrews High in Guilford, Forest Park in Winston Salem, Woodhill Elementary in Gaston, Morven Elementary and Anson High school in Anson, Billingsville Elementary and West Charlotte High in Mecklenburg. Of these 17 schools
one is a Turn-around school and the others are Transformation reform. Total funding for the next three years is $50,365,556.
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Compulsory Public School Attendance Age Blue Ribbon Task Force Report Vice President Rodney Ellis served on this Blue Ribbon Task Force, representing NCAE. The committee conducted a survey and over 8,000 responses were submitted within a three week window. The purpose of the survey was to determine if NC should raise the public school compulsory attendance age from 16 to 18? Findings and discussion items:
73% agreed that NC should raise the age from 16 to 18 84 counties had a greater than 60% support of raising the attendance age Themes of relationships, community and relevance emerged from the focus groups that were held with high school dropouts The most frequently addressed topic from the focus groups was a need for a quality alternative setting and differentiated programs to exist Time should not be the constant but the variable noted several Task Force members and SBE members
The Task Force recommends that NC begin to phase-in raising the attendance age to 18. Implications of such a practice:
Alignment of policies among the multiple agencies is needed A need for targeted PD emphasizing student engagement and options for service delivery Flexibility for program management and funding structures Leveraging community agencies, parental/guardian involvement and business in a strategic plan Match student’s interests, abilities, and learning needs with curricular approaches
NCAE Center for Teaching and Learning
SBE Review June 2011
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