Meeting of the Board of Regents | October 2009

                                                                       Report of

                                     REGENTS HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE

                                                                              to

                                                           The Board of Regents

October 19, 2009

              Your Higher Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on October 19, 2009.  All members were present, except Regents Bottar and Cohen, who were excused.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Draft Recommendations of the Regents Workgroup on Improving the Preparation, Recruitment, and Retention of Teachers in Urban Settings – The Committee discussed the seven recommendations of the workgroup, which collectively, seek to strengthen instruction and support the work of urban teachers throughout their teaching careers beginning with preparation followed by recruitment and induction through to retention and professional development.  The recommendations of the Workgroup will help to inform strategies for strengthening teacher and school leader preparation that will be advanced by the Commissioner and senior leadership and will also be considered as part of the State’s Race to the Top proposal. 

The Role of Cultural Institutions Role in Teacher Preparation and Professional Development – A panel of leaders in the cultural education community shared ways in which cultural institutions can support the preparation of new teachers and professional development, especially in shortage areas and in high needs schools.

Panelists included Dr. Maritza Macdonald, Director of Education Policy for the American Museum of Natural History; Ms. Sonnet Takahisa, Director of Education at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum; Dr. Ronald Thorpe, Vice President and Director of Education at WNET.org; and Mr. John S. Weber, Dayton Director of the Francis Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College

Certification of Teachers of Students with Disabilities - The Committee discussed potential opportunities for streamlining the certification structure for teachers of students with disabilities and working to increase the supply of teachers of students with disabilities in grades 7-12.  The Committee also provided guidance for helping to ensure teachers are adequately prepared to serve the learning needs of all students, as well as potential models for improving efforts to ensure that students with disabilities are educated to high standards in content areas and receive the support services they need to be successful.  The discussion will help to inform next steps and recommendations for strengthening teaching now under development under the Commissioner’s leadership.

              That concludes our report.

                                                                                            ________________________________

                                                                                            Milton L. Cofield, Co-Chairperson

                                                                                                  _______________________________

                                                                                            Harry Phillips, 3rd, Co-Chairperson