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:

Strategy for Implementing the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education

DATE OF SUBMISSION:

March 17, 2004

PROPOSED HANDLING:

Discussion

RATIONALE FOR ITEM:

Implementation of Regents Policy

STRATEGIC GOAL:

Goals 1 and 2

AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

 

SUMMARY:

 

In February, you discussed the proposed strategy for implementing the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education.  The Co-Chairs asked staff to develop a question-and-answer document to respond to questions and areas requiring further clarification that were raised by Committee members.  In March, we have allocated time on the Committee's agenda to address any additional questions.  Attached are a copy of the February item on the proposed strategy, a question-and-answer document, and a summary of recent comments we have received from key constituency groups/individuals.  In March, the Committee will provide direction to staff on next steps in moving forward on the proposed strategy.

 

 

 

Attachments

 

 

 

 

 

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:

Strategy for Implementing the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education

DATE OF SUBMISSION:

February 6, 2004

PROPOSED HANDLING:

Discussion

RATIONALE FOR ITEM:

Implementation of Regents Policy

STRATEGIC GOAL:

Goals 1 and 2

AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

 

SUMMARY:

 

            In January, the Committee directed staff to develop possible approaches for implementing the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education.  During the January meeting, the Regents discussed the following points that have shaped the strategy outlined in the attached paper:

 

·        We have learned a lot about what works from the research, speakers and public engagement process on middle-level education.  Any approaches to implementing Regents policy must reflect the best practices of effective schools with middle-level grades.

 

·        We have heard that, while students in the middle-level grades must receive a solid foundation in reading, writing and mathematics, it is also important for students in these grades to receive quality instruction from certified teachers in all 28 of the State learning standards.

 

·        We have heard that the program of study in the middle grades must ensure that students with disabilities receive appropriate instruction and that students who are English language learners must receive intensive English instruction.

 

·        We have heard that creating a supportive learning environment for students in middle-level grades is critical to their academic and personal success.

 

·        We have heard concerns that greater flexibility is needed for schools to put best practices of middle-level education in place.  We have also heard that there is considerable flexibility in current regulations that many districts are not using.

 

·        We have heard that any approaches to implementing Regents policy on middle-level education must result in improved academic performance and positive youth development.  Special consideration must be given to low performing schools with middle-level grades in order to make sure they are put on a path to improve.

 

·        We have heard that some high performing schools with middle-level grades want to design new approaches to middle-level education that are consistent with the Regents policy, but that these approaches require greater flexibility than is in place under current regulations.

 

·        We have concluded that no single approach is the solution to the problems confronting middle-level education; therefore, a State strategy for middle-level education must consider the variation in structure and performance of schools.

 

            Given the conclusions reached in January, a State Strategy for Middle-Level Education could include the following components:

 

1.      A statement of the Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs and a clear set of educational conditions that must be in place for these Essential Elements to work in New York State schools.  This statement would serve as the standard that programs in the middle-level grades must meet and would stimulate implementation of best practices statewide.

 

2.      A statement of the flexibility that already exists in regulations and of the additional flexibility that should be put in place in order for the Essential Elements to work in New York State schools.  This statement would grant levels of flexibility needed by schools to implement the Essential Elements, while ensuring that students receive instruction from qualified teachers in all 28 State learning standards.

 

3.   A description of a self-study and external peer review process that would be put in place statewide in order for schools with middle-level grades to assess the existence of the Essential Elements and to put in place a plan for addressing areas of weakness or for implementing those elements not in place.  This process would create a means to improve middle schools and ensure that flexibility granted would result in school improvement.

 

4.   A description of special considerations that would need to be in place for the self-study and external peer review to work for low performing and for high performing schools with middle-level grades.  These considerations will ensure that the improvement process will work in schools that vary in structure and performance.

 

            In order to implement this State Strategy for Middle-Level Education, the Regents would need to amend the Commissioner’s Regulations to include the following:

 

·        a statement of the Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs;

 

·        general requirements and conditions for the self-study and external peer review process;

 

·        specific requirements and conditions for low performing schools with middle-level grades to implement the self-study and external peer review process and implement school improvement programs;

 

·        specific requirements and conditions for high performing schools with middle-level grades to implement the self-study and external peer review process and design new programs; and

 

·        a description of the levels of flexibility given to schools with middle-level grades implementing the self-study and external peer review process with variations depending on level of school performance.

 

 

 

Attachment


STRATEGY FOR IMPLEMENTING THE REGENTS POLICY STATEMENT ON MIDDLE-LEVEL EDUCATION

 

Introduction

 

            The proposed strategy for implementing the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education has four components:  (1)  the Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs and educational conditions that must be in place; (2) a statement of flexibility that already exists and additional flexibility that should be put in place for the Essential Elements to work; (3) a description of a self-study and external peer review process; and (4) a description of special considerations for low performing and high performing schools with middle-level grades.

 

1.         Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs and Educational Conditions

 

Research has shown that the seven Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs must be in place if young adolescents are to succeed academically and develop as individuals.  These essential elements are:

 

 

 We are in the process of refining the Essential Elements document to add greater focus on positive youth development and to reflect what we learned from Karen Pittman, Executive Director of the Forum for Youth Investment, during her presentation to the Board in December 2003. 

 

The following educational conditions must be in place for the Essential Elements to work and to ensure the goals for implementing the Board's Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education are attained:

 

·        Students must receive instruction in all of the State’s 28 learning standards (with instruction in English language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and physical education occurring each year in each of the middle grades).

·        Students who are at risk of not meeting the State’s standards where there are State assessments must receive academic intervention services.

·        Students must be provided opportunities for taking high school courses (acceleration).

·        Curricula must be aligned, articulated, and integrated, where possible, across the middle grades (grades 5 through 8).

·        Schools must administer required State assessments in the middle grades (English language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, technology education) as well as grade-by-grade tests required under No Child Left Behind that will begin in the 2005-06 school year.

·        Schools must employ teaching staff that are properly certified to teach assigned subjects/classes.

·        Schools must develop and maintain a supportive learning environment that promotes both academic learning and youth development.

·        Schools must have stronger relationships with colleges and universities that have the most effective programs to prepare teachers to work in middle schools.

·        Schools must involve and engage key stakeholders and constituencies from the larger community.

 

2.                  Existing Flexibility at the Middle-Level and Additional Flexibility Needed for Essential Elements to Work

 

The following provisions of flexibility are now allowed under Section 100.4 of the Commissioner's Regulations:

 

·        Languages other than English (LOTE) instruction may commence at any grade level prior to grade 8, but no later than the beginning of grade 8 so that students are provided the required two units of study by the end of grade 9.

·        Unit of study requirements in grades 7 and 8 may be reduced but not eliminated for students determined to need academic intervention services.  (This provision will be phased out for certain schools as they are permitted to schedule units of study and time requirements over grades 5-8.)

·        Students may meet the required half unit of study in music by participation in a school's band, chorus, or orchestra, provided that such participation is consistent with the goals and objectives of the school's music programs for grades 7-8.

·        The requirements for technology education, home and career skills and library and information skills may be met by the integration of State learning standards into other courses.

·        Qualified students in grade 8 must be given the opportunity to take high school courses in mathematics and in at least one of the following areas:  English, social studies, languages other than English, art, music, career and technical education, or science.  Schools may allow students in other grades to take high school courses in these subjects.

 

To implement the Essential Elements and meet the educational conditions that must be in place, while at the same time ensuring that students receive instruction from qualified teachers in all 28 State learning standards, districts/schools would need to be given additional flexibility in the following areas:

 

·        scheduling certain units of study and time requirements across grades 5-8 (see Attachment A); and

·        permitting schools to assign teachers with common branch certification (formerly K-6 only) and content specialty certification (formerly 7-12 only) across grades 5-8, with the proviso that teachers could only teach subject areas for which they are appropriately certified.  (This provision was previously known and established in Commissioner's Regulations as the "experimental middle schools" option.)

 

3.         Self-Study and External Peer Review Approach

 

The proposed self-study and external peer review approach has certain provisions all schools with middle-level grades would implement.  Under this approach, all districts/schools would be given the opportunity to:

·        conduct a structured self-study and an external peer review that reflect the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education and the Department's Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs and address the critical educational conditions that must be present;

·        incorporate the results of the self-study and external peer review into an existing school improvement plan (e.g., Comprehensive District Education Plan); and

·        consult with key stakeholders and constituencies in the development of the school improvement plan and obtain sign-off that consultation has occurred.

 

In order to receive the additional flexibility described above, districts/schools conducting the self-study and external peer review would be required to:

 

·        certify to the State Education Department that the self-study and external peer review were conducted; and

·        submit evidence of consultation by obtaining sign-off by key stakeholders and constituencies.

 

Department approval of the self-study or subsequent school improvement plan would not be required unless a district/school is identified as low performing or the district/school is seeking additional flexibility beyond that described above.  Districts/ schools that do not agree to engage in the self-study and external peer review would have no additional flexibility beyond that in current regulations. The Department will create a template for the self-study process based on this sample.

 

4.         Special Considerations for Low Performing and High Performing Schools with Middle-Level Grades

 

Special considerations would be given for districts/schools with middle-level grades that are low performing or high performing.  These considerations would ensure that the improvement process will work in schools with variations in structure and performance.

 

Low Performing Schools with Middle-Level Grades

 

            Under this option, the Department would define the specifics of the self-study and external peer review approach for low performing schools with middle grades (i.e., SURR and Schools In Need of Improvement).  This is because these schools need more guidance and direction to undertake this process and to develop a plan to improve areas of the middle-level program that are weak.  Emphasis will be placed on:

 

 

The Department's regional networks would provide technical assistance to these schools.

 

            The generic school improvement plan currently required for low performing schools with middle grades would be replaced with a specific school improvement plan which addresses the Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs and emphasizes the areas identified above.  This plan would be reviewed and approved by the State Education Department.

 

            After Department approval of the school improvement plan, it would be reviewed every year based on student performance results.  Schools that demonstrate improvement in student performance would be granted the flexibility available to other schools with better performance.  In this way, the schools can "buy" more flexibility by improving--essentially acquiring greater flexibility through greater accountability.

 

High Performing Schools with Middle-Level Grades

 

            Schools that have demonstrated high student performance have shown that they can bring all of their students, including all student subpopulations, to meet the core learning standards.  As a result, they would be permitted to design and implement approaches to middle-level education that focus on aspects of the learning standards, such as the interconnectedness of common themes, interdisciplinary problem-solving, and/or how academic knowledge and skills can be applied in the workplace and other settings, but do not necessarily conform to the unit of study and time requirements prescribed in regulations. 

 

Such high performing schools with middle-level grades would agree to conduct the self-study and external peer review and would also be required to:

 

·        submit an application to the State Education Department to implement an approach in the middle grades (e.g., a theme school [the arts, math/science/ technology, etc.], a school-within-a-school, an integrated curriculum, etc.) that reflects the self-study and the external peer review;

·        include in the application how the approach would be evaluated for effectiveness as well as assurances that it will reflect the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education and the Department's Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs and address the identified educational conditions;

·        consult with key stakeholders and constituencies in the development of the application and obtain sign-off that consultation has occurred;

·        monitor, document and evaluate implementation of the approach and its impact on student achievement; and

·        conduct a follow-up structured self-study and external peer review every two years. 

The Department would review and approve the application from these schools. This option could also be made available for new schools being created.

Conclusion

 

            If the Board of Regents proceeded with this Strategy for Implementing the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education, Commissioner's Regulations would need to be amended to include:

 

·        a statement of the Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs;

·        general requirements and conditions for the self-study and external peer review process;

·        specific requirements and conditions for low performing districts/schools with middle-level grades to implement the self-study and external peer review process and implement school improvement programs;

·        specific requirements and conditions for high performing districts/schools with middle-level grades to implement the self-study and external peer review process and design new programs; and

·        a description of the levels of flexibility given to schools with middle-level grades implementing the self-study and external peer review process with variations depending on level of school performance.



                                                                                                                
Attachment A

 

 

 

Unit of Study Requirements for Grades 7-8 Under Part 100.4(b)

 

            Commissioner’s Regulation 100.4(b) defines the unit of study requirements in grades 7 and 8.  Under the option proposed, schools would have the flexibility to program certain required units of study over grades 5-8.  These units are:

 

 

The existing requirements for the other subjects would remain the same:

 

 


Questions and Answers Related to the Proposed Strategy for

Implementing the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education

 

 

 

I.          SELF-STUDY AND EXTERNAL PEER REVIEW PROCESSES

 

Question 1:  What are the benefits of the self-study and peer review processes?

 

Answer:  Dr. Robert Felner, who made a presentation on middle-level education to the Board of Regents in May 2003, provided the following comment:

 

If done well, the self-study will help in several ways. At the school level, the self-study with its data and feedback can be linked to and fully integrated into any District or School Improvement Plans and all of the sub-plans that are required by the State.  It will provide objective assessments of what is happening in districts and schools and with students.  It will also provide critical, research-based data about what is actually being affected – and how – by the change efforts. Research shows that one of the most critical problems schools face in improvement efforts is obtaining high levels of implementation with fidelity. The self-study can provide a basis for purposeful implementation efforts as well as ongoing feedback about the actual progress of such efforts that can inform a process of continuous improvement. It is really only when self-study data are useful in this way that schools take it seriously.

 

Based on this, the self-study and peer review are intended to:

 

·        Provide a means to revisit, report on and sometimes rethink the school's program and teaching practices to improve student achievement;

·        Foster public understanding and recognition of what needs to be done on behalf of students; and

·        Focus on the teaching staff in a school improvement effort.

 

Question 2:  What is the self-study process and what criteria will be used?

 

Answer:  Department staff are consulting with national experts in developing guides and rubrics to help districts with the self-study and external review processes.  Steps in the process are:

 

·        Establish a district middle grades group of representatives of key constituent groups from within and outside the schools to examine the middle-level program.

·        Conduct the self-study using the Regents Policy Statement and the Essential Elements.  A scoring rubric will be developed based on scientifically-based practices to help the district rate itself.  For low performing schools, additional criteria would be included to address the quality of the core academic program.  Documentation would have to be gathered to support the score on each of the Essential Elements.

·        Using the results of the self-study, district and school improvement plans would be developed that identify areas of weakness, the actions that will be taken to make improvements, and the expected results linked to the self-study data.

·        Analyze the results of the self-study and district/school improvement plan through an external review by impartial, knowledgeable peers.

·        Implement the improvement plan.

·        Review progress and revise the improvement plan as needed.

 

Question 3: Who are the peer reviewers and what is the purpose of the peer review?

 

Answer:  Peer reviewers will be knowledgeable about middle-level education and have special skills, knowledge, experience, or perspective that would add value to the process.  They may be practicing middle-level practitioners, BOCES staff, university personnel, professional organization representatives, retired educators, parents, middle school students or community/business representatives with special skills, knowledge, experience, or perspectives. 

 

The peer review would not be an evaluation of a district or school; rather, it would be an opportunity to provide the district or school with a third-party review of its improvement plan and the data used to inform its development.  Peer reviewers would comment on the comprehensiveness of the plan and the alignment between the district and school improvement plans, offer advice, and raise questions for consideration by the district middle grades group.

 

Question 4:  Is self-study sustainable?  What are the basic resource requirements and commitments?

 

Answer:  The self-study experience, if it is to be sustained, must be seen by districts and schools as the key to continuous improvement and on-going school change.  Schools and districts will need to make the self-study process and the resultant information integral parts of their planning and decision-making routine.  It will be important for districts to view the self-study as a means to an end rather than something to be done to satisfy a regulatory requirement. 

 

Dr. Robert Felner offered the following comment:

 

Cost has much to do with the model selected.  I have seen terrific models and most effective strategies that have some core funding and then, if you have a sufficient number of schools, fixed costs of about $4-5,000 per school plus some release time.  We also have models of research on schools where the costs are in the $20,000-$50,000 range that have little long-term effects. So, it can be done less expensively at very high quality if the decisions are made as part of building a systematic systemic model.  If it is done in "parts," it gets expensive and ineffective.

 

Question 5:  How does the self-study and peer review strategy relate to other planning requirements?

 

Answer:  The self-study and peer review are intended to guide implementation of the Essential Elements and inform the preparation of school improvement plans.  Planning efforts will be closely coordinated, since they will use a common set of data as the starting point of their work.  The self-study and peer review will address areas of weakness and other issues in a broader context of continuous improvement and ongoing school change.  It is expected that they will be in use after the school has improved and is no longer a school in need of improvement.

 

Question 6: Does the proposed middle-level strategy require that the self-study/peer review be done of the middle grades in a district or of the middle-level schools in the district?

 

Answer:  The proposed strategy focuses on the middle grades (grades 5-8) rather than on specific “middle-level” buildings.  It requires a district to undertake a self-study of the educational program in its middle grades, regardless of where they are physically located.  The resultant information will help inform both district-specific and building-specific planning.  By focusing on the middle grades as the unit of study, the concerns about transitions and curriculum articulation are addressed regardless of where the middle grades are housed.

 

Question 7: What does “consultation" mean and who are the "key constituents"?

 

Answer:  Consultation means involvement in the planning and decision-making process; it does not mean approval.  In the design, planning and implementation of the middle-level program, the district should provide for systematic consultation with (involvement of) parents, teachers, and administrators, including representatives designated by the appropriate bargaining units, and with other groups such as school counselors, other pupil services personnel, school librarians and community partners (institutions of higher education, social service agencies, county organizations, service organizations, etc.).  A signature form would document that representatives of the key constituency groups were consulted.  

 

 

II.         SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR LOW PERFORMING AND HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS

 

Question 8:  Why are high performing schools allowed to apply for additional flexibility?

 

Answer:  These schools have demonstrated that their students are performing at high levels using our measures of achievement.  Allowing such schools the opportunity to implement innovative programs that may not be in full compliance with current regulations, but which still provide students with a comprehensive educational experience that addresses successfully the 28 learning standards, may result in “break-the-mold” programs that can be implemented in other schools with success.

 

Question 9:  How will the Department identify the high performing schools?

 

Answer:   Next year, the Department will begin, as per NCLB and Commissioner’s Regulations (Section 100.2(p)(8)), to designate schools as high performing.  To be high performing, a school must have made Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) for the past two years, not have been required to have a Local Assistance Plan (LAP), and, if the school has less than three disaggregated groups for which it is accountable, not have any groups with less than 30 students performing unacceptably.

 

Question 10:  How will the Department and support networks handle the districts that seek flexibility approval?  How will low performing schools be supported?

 

Answer:  The State Education Department will develop clear protocols and work closely with our various statewide networks (Regional School Support Centers, Student Support Centers, Special Education Training and Resource Centers, Bilingual Education Technical Assistance Centers, etc.) in providing technical assistance associated with the self-study and peer review.  In addition, the Department will connect with other networks and organizations (e.g., BOCES, Staff and Curriculum Development Network (SCDN), Teacher Centers, professional organizations like the New York State Middle Schools Association, etc.) that have self-study and peer review experience and expertise.  The District Superintendents have indicated that they can serve as regional leaders in offering technical assistance in the self-study phase as well as in providing support for implementation of new middle-level programs.

 

There are 262 schools with middle-level grades that have been identified as schools in need of improvement.  The number of schools is likely to grow.  The Department will work closely with our various statewide networks and other networks and professional organizations to provide support and technical assistance to low performing schools. The Department will also ensure that the connection between the self-study and NCLB planning requirements are explicit and clear.  Such a clear and close connection can also help direct and coordinate the efficient use of available technical assistance resources. 

 

 

III.        INSTRUCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

 

Question 11:  Will the proposed strategy to implement the Regents Policy Statement result in a reduction in the amount of instructional time required for art and music?

 

Answer: The one unit of art in the proposed strategy is not intended to replace the current instructional requirement in grades 5 and 6 or to reduce art or music instruction in the middle grades.  The half-unit of music and the half-unit of art now required for grades 7-8 could be provided across grades 5-8 in addition to the grades 5-6 requirement. 

 

Question 12:  What does “opportunity for instruction” in the non-tested areas mean?

 

Answer:  Schools are required under Commissioner’s Regulations to provide students with structured instructional time (opportunity for instruction) in particular disciplines and courses which taken together address all of the State’s 28 learning standards.  In the middle grades, this is determined by the specification of units of study for individual disciplines/courses.  A unit of study is defined as the equivalent of 180 minutes (three hours) a week for a full year.

 

Question 13:  What is meant by integrated/interdisciplinary instruction?  What makes curriculum integration and/or interdisciplinary teaching difficult?

 

Answer:  Interdisciplinary curriculum might join together two or more disciplines of knowledge (e.g., Social Studies and Art) to consider issues that cannot be adequately addressed by one discipline alone.  Integrated curriculum cuts across subject-matter lines (e.g., Humanities) and students study major themes through projects.  Typically, only a few teachers in any given school carry on curriculum integration (Beane, 2002). 

 

Department staff contacted Dr. Jim Beane (author of the above comment, a nationally recognized expert in middle-level education, and a foremost authority on interdisciplinary curriculum and instruction in the country) for his insights.  Dr. Beane (a New York State native and graduate of the State University at Buffalo) wrote:

 

I think the best answer would be this:  Academic scholars historically organized themselves and their work according to disciplines of knowledge so as to focus research and better communicate results.  But young people are more likely to engage with that knowledge if it is brought to them through significant and meaningful themes rather than scholarly compartments.  Moreover, increasing emphasis has been placed on interdisciplinary projects and programs over the past fifty years as scholars have discovered that the large and significant problems in society cannot be solved out of isolated disciplines.  Because curriculum departments, textbooks, schedules and other aspects of schools continue to be organized by separate subjects, getting to the academic benefits of interdisciplinary/integrated programs requires more skill and creativity on the part of teachers. Certainly some teachers may not have those assets or be reluctant to put forth extra effort, but most often what is lacking is the necessary time for planning and needed instructional support from school and district curriculum staff. Facing the typical school organization and lack of support, it is simply easier to plan for a separate subject curriculum even though interdisciplinary/integrated arrangements tend to be more academically beneficial and intellectually engaging for students.

 

Question 14:  Would schools with middle-level grades be able to meet instructional requirements for exploratory courses via mini-courses that would provide students more exposure?

 

Answer:  Yes.  The Department will encourage schools to look at creative scheduling approaches that provide students with educational opportunities to meet the State’s learning standards.  Examples include mini-courses and eight-week modules that reflect the intermediate-level learning standards, are taught by certified teachers, and, in the aggregate, meet the regulatory unit of study requirements by the end of grade 8.

 

Question 15:  How will the proposed strategy affect students with disabilities and English language learners?

 

Answer:  School districts are held accountable for results for all students, including students with disabilities and English language learners.  There are middle-level schools that fail to meet adequate AYP solely on the basis of the performance of students with disabilities and English language learners.  The self-study will provide districts the opportunity to conduct an in-depth analysis of the educational program provided to these students and to identify specific research-based strategies to improve results for all students in the middle grades.

 

 

IV.       TEACHER REQUIREMENTS

 

Question 16:  When the Regents say that instruction must be taught by a certified teacher, what happens when there is no certified teacher available?

 

Answer:  The Department, when it learns of such a situation, will require that the district take necessary measures to ensure that instruction is provided by appropriately certified teachers.

 

Question 17:  What does “Experimental Middle School Status” mean?

 

Answer:  Until February 1, 2004, Section 80.2(h) of Commissioner’s Regulations allowed a school district with an experiment in middle school organizational change (or, in the common vernacular, “Experimental Middle School Status”) to assign a preK-grade 6 common branch teacher to teach a core academic discipline in grades 7 and/or 8 of a middle school and to assign a secondary certified specialist (grades 7–12) to teach his or her specialization in grade 5 and/or grade 6 of a middle school. Upward flexibility allowed teachers with particular skills (e.g., reading comprehension) to stay with a group of students for more than one year.  Downward flexibility allowed subject specialists to provide more challenging instruction (e.g., mathematics) in grades 5 and 6.

 

There are two ways to demonstrate subject matter knowledge under NCLB, depending on the grade level being taught (pass the exams used to qualify for certification; or, if certified, pass the "high objective uniform State standard of evaluation" or HOUSSE).

 

Question 18:  What are the new certification requirements for teachers in the middle grades?

 

Answer:  In 1999, the Board of Regents established specific standards for programs that prepare middle childhood teachers.  The Regents also established two types of Middle Childhood Certificates for those teachers, including teachers of students with disabilities at the middle level.  The new Middle Childhood Certificates become effective September 2004:

 

·        Individuals seeking a Generalist Certificate for teaching common branch subjects in grades 5 to 9 must complete a major in the liberal arts and sciences and develop a knowledge base for teaching to the State learning standards at the intermediate level in the seven broad areas of knowledge.

·        Individuals seeking a Specialist Certificate for teaching a specific subject in grades 5 to 9 (English, biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, mathematics, social studies, or another language) must complete a major in the subject they will teach to ensure that they have the knowledge base for teaching to the State learning standards in that subject.

 

Pedagogical preparation (grades 5-9) of all candidates must include additional study requirements that address interdisciplinary coursework, using assessments that reflect understanding of middle childhood growth and development, literacy skills coursework (beyond the required six semester hours) to teach listening, speaking, reading, and writing to native English speakers and English language learners and, for teachers of students with disabilities, additional study, field experiences, and student teaching in special education at the middle level, grades 5-9.

 


Reaction of Key Groups and Organizations to the Middle-Level Strategy

 

 

New York City Department of Education

 

Chancellor Klein’s recent letter to Commissioner Mills on the implementation of the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education included the following points:

 

·        “I am in agreement with the Regents recommendation that all students receive instruction in all 28 learning standards…; however, I would also encourage you to retain flexibility with regards to how the standards are taught.”

·        “Flexibility is an essential component to improving our low performing middle schools, and it is needed when considering both scheduling time for teachers and students, and pedagogical methods.  Flexibility provides principals with the decision making power to lead their schools.”

·        “The flexible use of time is important in order to allow teachers to engage in common planning time.”

·        “Flexibility in scheduling for students…provides schools with the opportunity to create interdisciplinary units of study.”

·        “Flexibility in time and scheduling also allows for differentiation in those middle schools that are already high performing.”

·        “I would like to request that the State Education Department remains flexible in defining what [grades] constitute a Middle Level Education.”

 

New York State Middle School Association

 

The New York State Middle School Association, at the behest of Chancellor Bennett, prepared an “Amicus Brief” titled Middle-Level Exploratories: Their Intrinsic Value and Support for ELA and Math Success that emphasized the following:

 

·        “While the original objective of this paper was to show how the exploratory subjects (health, physical education, art, technology education, family and consumer science, and music) support the skills necessary for success in ELA and math, it would be erroneous to assume that these subjects ONLY have value as they relate to ELA and math.  While interdisciplinary support and connections are valuable at any level of education, and especially during the middle years, all subjects need to be seen in terms of their intrinsic value to the learner at that time and also in terms of what each course contributes to a total educational experience.”

·        “Students between the ages of 10-14 are at a critical time in their lives.  In order to develop the skills needed for success in school and in later life, they need a myriad of experiences under the careful supervision of trained educators.  Students need to have the opportunity to experiment with information and activities that they might not ever be exposed to during what has always been called their “academic” program, and, for some, these “exploratory experiences” will form the basis of future employment and happiness….[E]xposure to art, music, family and consumer science, technology education, physical education, and health forms the basis of life experiences, either as part of a profession, home life, or hobby.  In addition to these subjects being important for what they specifically bring to the educational experience for each child, these exploratories also provide the hands-on opportunities to put skills learned in the core areas into practice.”

 

District Superintendents

 

The District Superintendents responded directly to the Regents item titled Strategy for Implementing the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education.  The gist of the District Superintendents’ response is:

 

·        “[F]ocus must be on the increased efficiency and effectiveness of teaching and learning through best practice and sound academic models to ensure that every child is successful.”

·        “The District Superintendents embrace the Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs as the base for any school improvement efforts in the middle grades.”

·        “The centerpiece of the District Superintendents’ recommendations for middle-level education requests a reconsideration of seat time and certification barriers with regard to technology and family and consumer science instruction only….[o]ur recommendations focus solely on the integration of technology and family and consumer sciences.  Integration of these areas with each other and into core subjects can and will produce a more meaningful education for our students…”

 

New York State United Teachers (NYSUT)

 

The NYSUT Board of Directors submitted the following resolution at the most recent meeting of its Representative Assembly:

 

·        “Resolved, that NYSUT urge the Board of Regents and the State Education Department to continue to allow school districts to apply for experiments in organizational change (experimental middle school) under Section 80-50.12 of Commissioner’s Regulations, which provides districts with flexibility in staffing middle-level programs…”

·        “Resolved, that NYSUT urge SED to undertake a thorough analysis of the 8th grade Math and ELA test scores to clearly define the nature of the problem(s) leading to the disappointing test results…”

·        “Resolved, that NYSUT reaffirms its commitment that the state continue to require the achievement of all 28 learning standards at the middle level through the current Commissioner’s Regulations including the current requirements for art, music, technology education, home and career skills, physical education, and health…”

·        “Resolved, that NYSUT urge the state to maintain the flexibility in scheduling that is provided in the current Commissioner’s Regulations to allow technology education, home and career skills, and health education classes to begin in grade six when taught by a teacher certified in those areas…”

·        “Resolved, that NYSUT urge the Board of Regents and State Education Department to call for a limitation in class size to 20 students in grades K-12…Further, classes that require the use of specialized facilities…should have a maximum of 15 students…”

·        “Resolved, that NYSUT urge the Board of Regents to amend Commissioner’s Regulations to include appropriate ratios for school counselors of one counselor for up to 300 students….”

·        “Resolved, that NYSUT urge the State Education Department to inform school districts of the flexibility already existing in current Commissioner’s Regulations and that it provide school districts with models of best practice for such flexible schedules to allow districts to better meet the needs of middle-level students.”

 

William Brosnan, Chair of the Math A Panel, and Co-Chair of the Math Standards Committee

 

Dr. Brosnan “passionately believes more flexibility is needed in the middle grades.”  In a letter to the members of the Board of Regents, he writes:

 

·        “I recognize and share the concern that the current requirements ensure that children receive exposure to important subjects.  Indeed, subjects like music and art are hardly “frills;” they make us who we are as a society.  And the arts can assist in helping students meet the assessed standards.”

·        “As a local superintendent, my first choice would be to have total flexibility in these areas…. If total flexibility is not to be considered, please consider providing as a minimum the [following] relief…:

o       “First, I would like to suggest that the requirement of ¾ unit of Home and Career Skills be reduced to ½ unit…

o       Second, I would like to suggest that the requirement of 1 unit of technology be reduced to ½ unit…

o       Finally, my third suggestion is to establish a requirement that all mandated areas (art, music, health education, physical education, home and career skills, and technology) engage in activities within their subject area, which support, to the satisfaction of the local school board, attainment of the standards in the State assessed areas.”

 

School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS)

 

In a letter written to the Commissioner following a meeting on March 2, 2004, SAANYS proposed that the Board of Regents and the Department consider the following in regard to the implementation of the proposed Strategy to Implement the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education:

 

·        "Allow those districts that currently use the expiring “experimental status” option to deploy instructional staff to teach across grade levels to “grandfather” those staff members holding such positions.  Without such an accommodation, by requiring schools to reassign staff who are currently holding such positions, a district’s seniority list could be negatively impacted.  For example, a school that has assigned a grade 7-12 certified math teacher to teach 6th grade math or a school that has a K-6 common branch certified teacher teaching 7th grade English will have to make reassignments that may force layoffs and impact other schools in the district.  This will be particularly challenging in rural or high needs districts where there are teacher shortages or staff assignments that cross grade levels."

·        "Ensure that the 5th grade requirements for exploratory areas are not subsumed into the grade 7–8 100.4 units of study requirements.  While units of study are not specified in the 100.3 regulations, percentages of instructional time are recommended.  These should be maintained and aligned with the 100.4 regulations in such areas as art and music.  Moreover, schools should continue to be allowed to distribute the grade 7-8 requirements over grades 5–8.  Most of New York States’ middle schools are configured 6–8; this flexibility assists with scheduling – that also creates time for AIS experiences."

·        "Clarify language regarding the application process for flexibility with clear delineation of the criteria for the schools within each of the designated groups."

·        "Include explicit language that the self-study program is the responsibility of the district, especially when the 5th or 6th grade is not included in the school that is under study."

·        "Ensure that with the implementation of the proposed agenda, it is essential that there is flexibility in how support services are provided via outside agencies.  This is particularly significant for a rural area where BOCES centers are not within a reasonable proximity to the middle school or where there is limited potential for university collaboration."