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THE STATE
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY
OF THE STATE OF |
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TO: |
EMSC-VESID Committee |
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FROM: |
Jean C. Stevens |
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SUBJECT: |
Closing the Gap:
Academic Intervention Services (AIS) |
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DATE: |
December 22, 2006 |
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STRATEGIC
GOAL: |
Goals 1 and 2 |
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AUTHORIZATION(S): |
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SUMMARY
Issue for Action
Does the Board of Regents agree with the direction the Department is taking to complete a review of the Regents policy on academic intervention services?
Reason(s) for Consideration
Review of policy.
Proposed Handling
This question will come before the Regents EMSC-VESID Committee on January 8, 2007.
Procedural History
Not applicable.
Background Information
In July 1999, the Regents adopted revisions to Part 100 of the Commissioner’s Regulations to align the regulations with new policy relating to standards, assessments and graduation requirements. Section 100.2(ee) requires school districts to provide academic intervention services to students who score below the State designated performance level on State assessments and/or who are at risk of not achieving the State learning standards. School districts are required to complete a description of AIS services and review it every two years, and commence services no later than the beginning of the next semester following a determination that a student needs such services.
As part of the four-year Standards Implementation Study and a survey of selected building principals, we learned that districts have used a variety of approaches for providing AIS. We have also learned that in some areas of the State the extra services provided to students are not working, while there has been success in other areas. Since the AIS requirement was put in place in 2000, NCLB was enacted requiring districts to provide supplemental educational services to students in low performing schools. In addition, the AIS requirement was based on the State assessments administered in grades 4 and 8 and high school, and we now administer tests in grades 3-8 in English language arts and mathematics. It is timely to relook at the AIS requirement to determine what modifications may be needed and to align the results with the goals of the Regents P-16 reform strategy.
An external advisory committee has been formed with field practitioners
from schools/districts and representatives of statewide organizations, parents,
BOCES. In addition, the
· Is AIS a model that should be continued?
· What effective approaches are being used in other states/countries?
· What are the needs of the populations we need to address?
· What are the current gaps (considerations) in educational support to students at risk of not meeting the State standards?
· What are the barriers to student success?
The first meeting of the advisory committee was held on December 7, 2006. The advisory committee will establish several subgroups to work on certain topics and is expected to complete a final report with recommendations by June 30, 2007. A report to the Regents has been scheduled for September 2007 to report on the work of the advisory committee and to identify policy issues for the Board’s consideration. Subsequently, changes in regulations or guidelines to the field may be necessary. We plan to proceed with this policy review in a similar manner as that used to revisit the Regents policies on early childhood and parent and family partnerships.
Recommendation
Staff recommend that the Regents determine if the plan for the policy review of academic intervention services is on target or needs any modification.
VOTED: The Board of Regents directs Department staff to proceed with the plan to seek input from an external advisory committee on what is and is not working with its academic intervention services policy, and to report to the Board on the work of that committee and on policy issues requiring further consideration.
Timetable for Implementation
A report to the Regents on the work of the advisory committee and on policy issues for consideration has been scheduled on the 24-month calendar in September 2007.