Report of Regents P-12 Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Your P-12 Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on June 23, 2014.  All members were present.

ACTION ITEMS

ESEA Flexibility Request Renewal Application [P-12 (A) 1]

Your Committee recommends that paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (i) of section 100.18 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be amended, as submitted, effective June 24, 2014, as an emergency action upon a finding by the Board of Regents that such action is necessary for the preservation of the general welfare to immediately conform the Commissioner's Regulations to New York State's ESEA Flexibility Waiver Renewal Request with respect to the removal criteria for Priority Schools, Focus Districts and Focus Schools, so that school districts and charter schools may meet school/school district accountability requirements for the 2013-14 school year and beyond in a timely manner.

Common Core Regents Exams Standard Setting Process

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approve the cut scores for the Common Core Regents Exams in Algebra I and ELA as proposed by the Commissioner in the slide presentation to the Board.  The slide presentation can be found at http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2014/June2014/614monthmat.html

Charter Schools: Initial Applications and Charters Authorized by the Board of Regents – Charter School of Inquiry and Rosalyn Yalow Charter School [P-12 (A) 2]

Your Committee recommends that the Regents find that the proposed charter school: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to the Charter School of Inquiry for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.

Your Committee recommends that the Regents find that the proposed charter school: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to the Rosalyn Yalow Charter School for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.

Revision to Charter Authorized by the Board of Regents: Renaissance Academy Charter School of the Arts  [P-12 (A) 3]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that the proposed revised charter: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the charter revision for Renaissance Academy Charter School of the Arts and amends the provisional charter accordingly.

Revision to Charter Authorized by the  Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE)   [P-12 (A) 4]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that the proposed revised charter: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will permit the charter school to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the above listed charter revision as proposed by Chancellor of the NYCDOE and the provisional charter for the Equality Charter School is amended accordingly.

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD
Madam Chancellor and Colleagues: Your P-12 Education Committee recommends, and we move, that the Board of Regents act affirmatively upon each recommendation in the written report of the Committee's deliberations at its meeting on June 24, 2014, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent. 

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION
Safe Schools Task Force Update [P-12 (D) 1] – the Committee discussed the top nine recommendations of the Safe Schools Task Force.  The recommendations include:

1. Advocate for investment in and expansion of support staff in schools, including school social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses and school attendance staff; support increased funding for these positions through the legislative budget process; and to obtain additional resources from federal, state, and private resources.
2. Re-examine current professional development requirements, including the courses for Child Abuse/Neglect Identification, School Violence Prevention/Intervention, and DASA to determine needed changes to pre-service and in-service certification requirements.
3. Support implementation of theoretically grounded and evidence-based multi-tiered frameworks such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).
4. Examine all current federal and state data reporting requirements to develop a single comprehensive model data reporting system that incorporates already required reporting.
5. Develop a new system to capture data related to school climate such as a School Climate Index to develop a positive rather than the current punitive process. 
6. Expand School Safety Plans to include protocols for school busses/transporters and locations outside the school building.
7. Develop uniform training, which should include restorative justice practices as well as child psychology and qualification requirements for School Resource Officers (Rest of State) and School Safety Agents (NYC).
8. Revise Education Law Section 807 to include lockdown drills, shelter and place drills, armed intruder drills, and other drills as part of the twelve annual fire drills currently mandated.
9. Form an interagency policy Workgroup that includes youth and student representatives to examine student suspension policies and make recommendations for change that incorporate restorative justice practices and that enhance interagency coordination and communication.

The Board will review and discuss the NYS Safe Schools Task Force work during the 2014-15 school year and provide feedback to the Department on the Task Force draft recommendations being presented at the June 2014 meeting. Department staff will present a final set of recommendations with a final Task Force report for the Board’s review at the September 2014 meeting.

Multiple Pathways – the Committee discussed and reconsidered the multiple pathways to graduation proposal that was presented at the May Regents meeting.  Discussion focused on the 4 + 1 option, which includes one Regents exam in each of the following: Math, Science, ELA and Social Studies (either U.S. History or Global Studies) and one exam of the student’s choice.  The Committee recommends that the Commissioner and staff present a more detailed description of the 4 + 1 option and various pathway options for consideration at the July meeting.  Summaries of best practices from around the state will also be presented. 

Revisions to Part 154 of Commissioner’s Regulations [P-12 (D) 2] – the Committee continued their discussion on the proposed amendments to Part 154 of Commissioner’s Regulations for English language learners.  The proposed amendments would be required to be implemented beginning with the 2015-16 school year.  The specific areas of proposed regulatory amendments include:

• Identification
• Parent Notification and Information
• Retention of Identification and Review of Records
• Placement
• Program Requirements and Provision of Programs
• Grade Span and Program Continuity
• Exit Criteria
• Support Services and Transitional Services
• Professional Development
• Graduation Requirements
• District Planning and Reporting Requirements

In addition to the proposed regulatory amendments to Part 154, the Department will propose amendments to statues and regulations outside of the scope of Part 154, relating to certification and graduation requirements, at a future meeting.  It is anticipated that the proposed amendments will be presented to the P-12 Education Committee for recommendation and to the Full Board for adoption at the September meeting of the Board of Regents. 

Presentation by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association NYSPHSAA) – Robert Zayas, Executive Director of the NYS Public High School Athletic Association discussed the roles and initiatives of the association.  The association serves secondary schools that provide interscholastic athletic activities for boys and girls in grades 7-12.  One of the focal points of the association is to increase participation in interscholastic sports.  Mr. Zayas shared a video of the Unified Sports Program whereby NYSPHSAA partnered with the Special Olympics to create increased participation opportunities for students who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to experience competition and teamwork. 

Consent Agenda Items

The Board of Regents will take action on the following consent agenda items at their June 24, 2014 meeting.

• Registration of Public Schools
• Pre-School Special Education Regulations
• Regents Exams and Assessments in Science for Students in Grades 7 and 8 regulations