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THE STATE EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT /
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF |
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TO: |
The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents |
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FROM: |
Diana M.
Hinchcliff, Director, Office of Governmental Relations |
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SUBJECT: |
Revisions to Draft NCLB Recommendations |
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DATE: |
January 9, 2007 |
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STRATEGIC GOAL: |
Goals 1-6 |
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AUTHORIZATION(S): |
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Issue for Decision
Approval of NCLB recommendations.
Reason for Consideration
The Regents approved these revisions to the draft NCLB recommendations in
their committee meetings.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
Issue 1 (p.1). Schools and
districts with multiple federal accountability designations.
Revisions:
a. Revise language in the Recommendation column to delete “gatekeeper” and
clearly explain that the recommendation is that the academic performance of
various subgroups (e.g. students with disabilities and limited English
proficient students) should be measured once using Title I, not multiple times
using different criteria, which could yield different results. This would allow
focused assistance to poorly performing individual subgroups within schools rather
than school-wide sanctions for the underperformance of individual subgroups.
b. Add a recommendation that schools be permitted to report test scores to
the public as letter grades that represent bands or ranges of scores rather
than as precise numerical scores (e.g. a band of scores ranging from 90.0-100.0
would equal an “A”).
Issue 2 (p. 3). Growth models
for state accountability systems.
Revision:
Change language in Recommendation column from:
The
growth model should be in addition to rather than as a replacement for the
current status model.
to:
States should be allowed to use either a
growth model or a status model.
HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS
Issue 15 (p. 28). Deadlines for highly
qualified teachers.
Revisions:
a. Add to the recommendation:
Retain current flexibility that enables states to work collaboratively with
school districts that fail to meet highly qualified teacher goals to develop credible
plans for meeting the goals in the context of the district’s needs and
financial condition.
b. Add to the recommendation
that sanctions should not be imposed if states and school districts continue to
make progress toward meeting highly qualified teacher goals.
Issue 22 (p. 33). National standards for
teachers to demonstrate subject matter competency and Issue 25 (p. 36). Highly
qualified special education teachers.
Revision:
These issues will
be deleted.
Issue 24 (p. 34). Professional development
for teachers.
Revision:
Change the language
in the Recommendation column from:
Make evidence-based instructional strategies
and “promising practices” acceptable for professional development.
to:
Make “promising practices” acceptable for
professional development.
The recommendation
will include a definition of promising practices.
GENERIC ISSUES
Issue 27 (p. 38). Deadlines, targets and
goals.
Revision:
Clarify that the
lower target should provide a safe harbor from financial penalties, not a change
in goal. The last sentence in the first paragraph under Recommendation will be
changed from:
Set targets at
95-98%.
to:
Set targets at
95-98 percent for a "safe harbor" from financial sanctions.
Issue 31 (p. 40). Funding levels and
flexibility.
Revision:
Add to the
Rationale column examples illustrating how the lack of full funding for NCLB is
causing districts to shift funds among programs to ensure that all programs are
funded, with the consequence that many local programs remain continuously underfunded.
New Issue. Sanctions.
Add a
recommendation that NCLB should not allow funds to be withheld from districts
and schools for academic failure. This is counterproductive. Districts and
schools should be sanctioned only for refusal to cooperate with states in
working toward continuously improving students’ academic performance.
Recommendation
Approval of the
NCLB recommendations with these revisions.