Meeting of the Board of Regents | September 2007

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:
FROM:	Johanna Duncan-Poitier
SUBJECT:	Proposed Amendments to the Regulations of the Commissioner Relating to Excelsior Scholars Program and Grants to Summer Institutes for Mathematics and Science
DATE:	August 29, 2007
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Discussion

 

Should the Board of Regents adopt the proposed addition of sections 100.14 and 100.15 to the Regulations of the Commissioner, relating to the Excelsior Scholars Program and grants to summer institutes for teachers of mathematics and science?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

Required by State statute.

             

Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the Board of Regents for discussion at its September meeting.

 

Procedural History

 

Not applicable.

 

Background Information

 

Education Law section 3641-a, as added by Chapter 57 of the Laws of 2007, provides that the Commissioner shall establish an Excelsior Scholars Program for grade seven mathematics and science students, and award grants on a competitive basis to public and independent colleges and universities to conduct summer programs providing advanced coursework in mathematics and science to students designated as Excelsior Scholars. 

 

              Education Law section 3641-b, as added by Chapter 57 of the Laws of 2007, provides that the Commissioner shall establish a program of competitively awarded grants to public and independent colleges and universities offering teacher education programs, in partnership with school districts, to conduct summer institutes for teachers of science and mathematics in grades five through eight in middle schools, junior high schools, intermediate schools or junior/senior high schools with priority given as practicable to teachers in schools identified as schools in need of improvement or in corrective action or restructuring status, schools under registration review or schools requiring academic progress.  The institutes shall be designed to advance the content knowledge and pedagogy of participating science and mathematics teachers and shall, to the extent practicable, be aligned and integrated with programs offered to Excelsior Scholars pursuant to Education Law section 3641-a.

 

              There are a number of related issues regarding the Excelsior Scholars program and summer institute for teachers program that are not required to be in regulation but will be addressed in the comprehensive grant program guidelines the Department will finalize and disseminate as part of the request for proposals.

 

              A Notice of Proposed Rule Making was filed with the Department of State on July 31, 2007 for publication in the State Register on August 15, 2007.   Subsequent to the proposed rule's filing, staff have recommended changes in the proposed definition of "other high performing student" to provide school districts with more flexibility in nominating such students for participation in the Excelsior Scholars program.  These proposed changes have been incorporated into the attached regulation express terms.

 

Recommendation

 

Staff recommend that the Regents reach consensus on the intent of the proposed rule prior to its submission in October for approval.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

The proposed rule will be submitted to the Board of Regents for approval as an emergency measure at the October Regents meeting, and presented for permanent adoption in December.

 

 

 

Attachment

 

 

 

 

 

 

AMENDMENT OF THE REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION

              Pursuant to Education Law sections 101, 207, 215 and 305, and sections 3641-a and 3641-b, as added by Chapter 57 of the Laws of 2007.

              1. Section 100.14 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is added, effective November 15, 2007, as follows:

§100.14 Excelsior scholars programs for grade seven mathematics and science students.

              (a)  Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish requirements for summer programs for high performing students in mathematics and science who have completed seventh grade that are offered pursuant to Education Law section 3641-a.

(b)  Definitions. As used in this section:

(1) “Advanced coursework” means advanced instruction in mathematics and science that leads to attainment of the State learning standards in mathematics and science at the commencement level.

(2) “Eligible student” means a student nominated by the superintendent to participate in a summer program administered pursuant to this section who:

(i)  will have completed seventh grade prior to the start of such summer program;

(ii)  has demonstrated distinguished work in mathematics and science as determined by multiple measures, including, but not limited to:

(a)  the student has maintained a grade point average of 90 or above in mathematics and science in grades five, six and seven; and

(b)  has scored at level four on the state assessment in mathematics in grades five and six;

(iii)  has received recommendations from at least one teacher of mathematics and at least one teacher of science who have taught such student in grades five, six and/or seven; and

(iv)  has written consent from a parent or person in parental relation to participate in such summer program following completion of seventh grade.

(3)  “Excelsior scholars” means students who have successfully completed a summer program of advanced coursework during the summer following the completion of seventh grade administered in accordance with this section.

(4) “Other high performing student” means a student nominated by the superintendent to participate in a summer program administered pursuant to this section who: 

(i)  will have completed seventh grade prior to the start of such summer program;

(ii)  has demonstrated excellent work in mathematics and science as determined by multiple measures, including, but not limited to:

(a)  maintaining a grade point average of 90 or above in mathematics or science in grades five, six and seven;

(b)  scoring at level four on a state assessment in mathematics in either grades five or six;

(iii)  has scored at level four on the state assessment in English language arts in grades five and six;

 (iv)  has received a recommendation from at least two of the following: a teacher of mathematics, a teacher of science, or a teacher of English language arts who have taught such student in grades five, six and/or seven; and

(v)  has written consent from a parent or person in parental relation to participate in such summer program following completion of seventh grade.

 (5) “Centers of Excellence in Technology” shall include those centers identified through the State’s economic development agency to support State research facilities and other technology and biotechnology capital projects.

              (c) The superintendent may nominate up to ten percent of a school’s eligible grade seven students to participate in the programs described in this section.  The superintendent shall nominate equal numbers of male and female students, as practicable.

(d) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for such purpose, the commissioner shall annually issue a request for proposals to public and independent colleges and universities to administer summer programs as described in this section.  Such proposals shall be in a format, and submitted pursuant to a timeline, as prescribed by the commissioner and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1)  a description of the process used to promote the Excelsior Scholars program among local school districts and to engage in student outreach;

(2)  a description of  the selection process and criteria, which shall be based on demonstrated academic achievement, used by the college or university to review and select eligible students and, where applicable, other high performing students, from those nominated for participation in the program.  Such selection process and criteria shall ensure:

(i) the selection of students who have demonstrated the highest level of academic achievement in mathematics and science; and

(ii) a balanced number of male and female participants, as practicable;

(3) a description of  the advanced coursework to be provided to such students, including how such coursework is aligned with the State learning standards;

(4)  a description of the academic qualifications of the faculty who will provide the advanced coursework to students participating in the program, and programmatic capacity of the site and staff; and

(5)  a description of  the criteria to be used to determine whether such students have successfully completed the program.

(e) Competitive grants will be awarded to eligible public and independent colleges and universities to implement program(s) pursuant to this section based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

(1) the provision of appropriate advanced coursework and the program's alignment with the State learning standards;

(2) the extent to which participation was solicited through student outreach and program promotion;

(3) the expertise of faculty and programmatic capacity of site and staff;

(4) coordination with programs offered by the centers of excellence in technology, to the extent practicable; and

(5) the availability of appropriated funds for such purpose.

2.  Section 100.15 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is added, effective November 15, 2007, as follows:

§100.15 Summer institutes for mathematics and science teachers in middle grades five through eight.

              (a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish requirements for a competitive grant program to public and independent colleges and universities offering teacher education programs, in partnership with school districts, to conduct summer institutes for teachers of mathematics and science pursuant to Education Law section 3641-b.

              (b) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for such purpose, the commissioner shall annually issue a request for proposals to public and independent colleges and universities offering teacher education programs, registered pursuant to section 52.21 of this Title, that partner with school districts to conduct summer institutes for teachers of mathematics and science in grades five through eight in middle schools, junior high schools, intermediate schools or junior/senior high schools. 

(1)  Such proposals shall be in a format, and submitted pursuant to a timeline, as prescribed by the commissioner and shall include a description of how the program will advance the content knowledge and pedagogy of participating teachers in the areas of mathematics and science, including, but not limited to, how the program is:

(i)  aligned to State learning standards for mathematics and science; and

(ii)  aligned and integrated with programs offered to Excelsior Scholars pursuant to the requirements of section 100.14 of this Part, to the extent practicable, as well as with other State and federal programs with similar purposes.

(2)  Teachers shall be selected for participation in such summer institutes by principals who shall give priority to teachers who meet the following criteria:

(i)  first and second year teachers of grades five through eight;

(ii)  teachers who are changing assignments and would benefit from professional development to improve student learning; and

(iii) teachers who have been identified as needing additional professional development in building content knowledge in mathematics and science and understanding of pedagogy.

(c) Competitive grants will be awarded to public and independent colleges and universities submitting a proposal pursuant to subdivision (b) of this section based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

(1)  the program is aligned to the State learning standards for mathematics and science;

(2)  the program is designed to advance the content knowledge and pedagogy of participating mathematics and science teachers based on local measures of need assessment;

(3)  the program is aligned and integrated with programs offered to Excelsior Scholars pursuant to the requirements of section 100.14 of this Part,  to the extent practicable, as well as other State and federal programs with similar purpose; and

(4)  priority is given, as practicable, to teachers in schools identified as schools in need of improvement, corrective action or restructuring status, schools under registration review or schools requiring academic progress.