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

 

TO:	The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents
FROM:	James A. Kadamus
COMMITTEE:	EMSC-VESID
TITLE OF ITEM:	Conceptual Framework for Middle-Level Reform Strategy
DATE OF SUBMISSION:	January 8, 2004
PROPOSED HANDLING:	Discussion
RATIONALE FOR ITEM:	Implementation of Regents Policy
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY:

 

Attached is a paper that offers for Regents consideration a conceptual framework for your middle-level reform strategy.  This fall over 10,000 people participated through public forums, public hearings, an on-line survey, a dedicated e-mailbox, small focus groups and conferences and meetings of statewide organizations in providing comment on the alternative approaches for implementing the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education.  A separate information report to the Board will be submitted that describes the participants in this public engagement and summarizes the comments received. 

 

The paper identifies a number of issues that would need to be addressed if the Regents provided options for middle-level schools to meet existing or new State requirements that also meet the Regents goals of a rigorous academic program and positive youth development.

 

The Co-Chairs have allotted one hour during the Committee's January meeting to discuss the conceptual framework. 

 

 

Attachment

Conceptual Framework for Middle-Level Reform Strategy

 

 

Comments on middle level education based on field input:

 

• The field supports the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education recognizing grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 as the middle grades.  However, the Regents should not state a preference for the types of building configurations that house these grades.  This should be left to local determination.

 

• Students in middle grades should receive instruction in all of the 28 learning standards.

 

• There should be a program of study in each of the middle grades (5-8) each year that includes English language arts (including reading), mathematics, social studies, science and physical education.  The program of study should be supplemented through instruction in the arts, technology education, home and career skills, health, library and information skills and languages other than English.  There is no agreement on the specific units of study or time requirements in these areas, nor is there agreement on whether these mandated subjects should be provided every year in grades 5-8.

 

• There should be models of grade-by-grade core curricula in English language arts and mathematics (subject areas where there is federally-mandated grade-by-grade testing) disseminated by the State Education Department.

 

• Students should be given opportunities during the middle grades for integrated instruction across and among subject areas.  Integrated approaches must ensure that qualified staff are available and have appropriate professional development and planning time in the school to provide such instruction.

 

• The performance of students with disabilities and English language learners often lags behind in the middle grades.  The program of study at the middle level must ensure that students with disabilities receive appropriate instruction.  Students who are English language learners must receive intensive English instruction.

 

• There is no agreement on what is the best mix of certified staff in the middle grades (e.g., common branch and/or content specialists) and how they should be deployed.

 

• Students who are falling behind in those subject areas where there are State assessments must receive academic intervention services.

 

• Qualified students in the middle grades should be provided opportunities for taking high school courses (acceleration).

 

• More attention needs to be given to create a supportive learning environment in the middle grades that promotes positive youth development.  This includes:  having high academic expectations for students; creating smaller and more personalized learning opportunities; building strong relationships between adults and students in the school; creating opportunities for students to make a difference in school and the community; and creating a network of academic and personal support for students.  There is strong belief that these elements also have a positive effect on student achievement.

 

• The Regents should recognize that the middle-level grades are critical years of transition, and special attention is needed to ensure that students receive coordinated academic and personal support from qualified staff. 

 

• The Regents should encourage wider involvement of parents, higher education institutions, health and mental health agencies, cultural institutions, community groups, faith-based organizations and similar groups, to expand resources that support students both academically and personally.

 

• Concerns were expressed about the number of State exams required in grade 8.  There was no agreement about when tests in subject areas other than English language arts and mathematics should be given.

 

How should any new State policy and regulations reflect field input?

 

Despite two years of discussion in the field, consultation with researchers and experts in middle-level education, and research by the State Education Department, there is no single model for middle-level education that has emerged as the best model to implement statewide.

 

·        Some groups argue that the current middle-level regulations are so restrictive that they prevent high performing schools from offering enriched programs for their students and prevent low performing schools from focusing on core subjects like English language arts (ELA) and mathematics.

·        Other groups assert that poor performance at the middle level is a result of lack of implementation of the current requirements in regulation and of known best practices.  They argue that greater local flexibility in the middle-level requirements will not improve performance and will undermine many good programs, especially in areas like the arts, technology education, home and career skills and languages other than English.

·        Still other groups say that the current State testing system is not a good measure of performance at the middle grades and that schools are performing better overall than test scores would indicate.

 

Whatever point of view one takes, the test results, even accounting for measurement error, are sobering.  Consider the following:

 

·        The middle-level ELA test is the only State test on which less than half of the students in the State meet State standards (Levels 3 or 4).  In 2003, for the first time more than half of the students statewide achieved the State standards in middle-level mathematics.

 

·        In three of the Big 5 cities, less than 25 percent of the students meet the State standards in ELA.  Almost 29 percent of the students in the Big 5 score Level 1 on the middle level mathematics test.

 

·        Students with disabilities perform much worse in the middle grades than in elementary grades.  Only 8 percent of students with disabilities meet the State standards on the middle-level ELA test and 16.3 percent meet the State standards on the mathematics test.

 

·        Over 80 percent of the schools with middle grades in New York City are designated as Schools in Need of Improvement.  There are more schools with middle grades designated as Schools in Need of Improvement upstate than any other type of school.

 

·        Over the past three years, more schools with middle grades have been designated as SURR than any other type of school.  More middle-level schools come off the SURR list by closing than by improving performance.

 

So, if there is no consensus on a single model for the middle grades, what can the Regents do to improve performance of schools and also enable schools to offer an enriched program of study that emphasizes core academics, instruction in all 28 learning standards, and positive youth development?

 

What can the Regents do to answer this question?

 

            The Regents will seek to authorize models that allow middle schools options as to how they will meet any existing or new State requirements.  Any options would need to be consistent with the key elements of effective middle-level programs (see Attachment A) and emphasize core academics, instruction in all 28 learning standards and positive youth development.  The options may also provide schools with alternatives on how unit of study requirements are met.  There are, however, several issues that need to be addressed in deciding whether to authorize new options for middle-level schools:

 

1.         To what extent should options permit flexibility in meeting unit of study time requirements in subjects taught in the middle grades?  To what extent should options allow interdisciplinary approaches to meeting study time requirements?

 

2.         To what extent should options permit flexibility in the use of common branch and content specialists in the middle grades?  How can the Regents ensure that teachers in the middle grades are certified in their subject area?

 

3.         Should options be available to all schools or limited based on student performance, i.e., different options for high performing versus low performing schools?

 

4.         What options would be made available to new schools just starting up operation?

 

5.         What forms of evaluation and accountability should be put in place for schools using different options, e.g., sign-off by key stakeholders, measures of student achievement, etc.?   How would any evaluation and accountability be different than the current State assessment requirements in the middle grades?

 

6.         How can a strategy which makes options available to schools be used to improve the performance of low performing middle-level schools and close the gaps in student performance?

 

7.         What strategies can be put in place to ensure that students with disabilities and English language learners are appropriately served under any option used in a school?

 

8.         To what extent would options require approval of the State Education Department? 

           

Next Steps

 

At the January meeting of the EMSC-VESID Committee, the Regents will discuss the questions.  Based on that discussion, more detailed material will be developed and presented to the Regents in February.  Regulatory changes required to implement a Regents strategy will subsequently be submitted for discussion and approval by the Board in spring 2004.

 

                                                                                                Attachment A

 

 

KEY ELEMENTS IN AN EFFECTIVE MIDDLE-LEVEL PROGRAM

 

 

 

 

·        A strong core academic program with a clear curriculum and high expectations for all students.

·        A comprehensive exploratory program that complements and supplements the core academic program.

·        Properly certified teachers and other staff.

·        A program of professional development that is specific to teachers at the middle level and common planning time so teachers can coordinate instruction.

·        Staff, including teachers and administrators, who understand how students learn and develop personally in the middle grades.

·        Academic intervention services that are available during the school day and are proven to be effective to address the specific problems of students.

·        A learning environment that is small and more personalized and has strong relationships between adults and students.

·        A program that supports the personal development of students.

·        Outreach to parents, higher education, cultural institutions and other agencies and organizations to support students academically and personally.

·        Quality instruction for students with disabilities.

·        Intensive English instruction for English language learners.