February 2010

Report of the

REGENTS EMSC COMMITTEE

to

The Board of Regents

February 9, 2010

              Your EMSC Committee held its scheduled meeting on February 8, 2010.  All Committee members were present.

ACTION ITEMS

Charter School Actions

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Bushwick Ascend Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and issues a provisional charter to it for a term of five years, up through and including February 8, 2015.   [EMSC (A) 2]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents issues a charter and provisional charter to the Kingsbridge Innovative Design Charter School for a term of five years, up through and including February 8, 2015.   [EMSC (A) 3]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents returns the proposed second renewal charter of the New Covenant Charter School to the Trustees of the State University of New York for reconsideration, and with the following comments and recommendations: that the resubmission provides: (1) information regarding all provisions of the School’s second renewal charter (including its educational program) that have been changed, if any, since its initial charter was issued; (2) specific fiscal information including: a narrative that explains the budget, a budget that includes an escrow account for possible dissolution, and an explanation of the depreciation/deferred fees and capital expenditures; (3) specific information regarding the activities used to serve students with disabilities; (4) specific information regarding the activities used to serve English language learners; and (5) a curriculum to address and be aligned with all 28 New York State Learning Standards.   [EMSC (A) 4]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and issues a provisional charter to it for a term of five years, up through and including February 8, 2015.  [EMSC (A) 5]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Challenge Preparatory Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and issues a provisional charter to it for a term of five years, up through and including February 8, 2015.   [EMSC (A) 6]

              Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves the application for the West Buffalo Charter School.   [EMSC (A) 7]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves the revision to the first renewal charter of the Global Concepts Charter School, and the provisional charter is amended accordingly.   [EMSC (A) 8]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves the revision to the initial charter of the Niagara Charter School, and the provisional charter is amended accordingly.  [EMSC (A) 9]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves the revisions to the initial charter of the Believe Northside Charter High School nunc pro tunc as proposed, and the provisional charter is amended accordingly.  [EMSC (A) 10]

                Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves the revisions to the initial charter of the Believe Southside Charter High School nunc pro tunc as proposed, and the provisional charter is amended accordingly.  [EMSC (A) 11]

                Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Cultural Arts Academy Charter School at Spring Creek as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and issues a provisional charter to it for a term of five years, up through and including February 8, 2015.  [EMSC (A) 12]

                Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the first renewal charter of the Hellenic Classical Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including February 8, 2015.  [EMSC (A) 13]

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD

              Madam Chancellor and Colleagues:  Your EMSC 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 February 9, 2010, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Virtual High School Initiative – Part II – The Committee continued its discussion about the framework for the development of a virtual high school initiative.  In November, the Regents directed staff to develop a proposal for creation of a virtual high school that would provide Department approved rigorous courses aligned to the NYS Learning Standards.  The Committee discussed the need for standards for approved online courses and the role of the Department in a virtual high school initiative.  The discussion will continue next month concerning the need for regulatory flexibility to support this initiative.   [EMSC (D) 1]

Grades 3-8 Testing Program Update – The Committee was given an update on the 2009-10 and 2010-11 Grades 3-8 Testing Program.  In June 2009, staff were directed to make changes to strengthen the testing program and move the Grades 3-8 tests to May, beginning with the 2009-10 school year.  The Committee discussed the immediate positive impact of these changes as they more completely measure and cover the NYS Learning Standards, increase rigor to support the move towards higher standards, and produce more reliable results.  Also discussed were changes to the 2010-11 testing program including the design and implementation of a vertical scale and an increase in the number of multiple-choice items on the exams. The 2010-11 Elementary- and Intermediate-level Testing Schedule was also discussed.  Members of the Committee suggested that a communication plan be developed to keep districts, teachers and parents informed about the changes being made to the State’s assessment program. [EMSC (D) 2]

Broadband Access – The Committee discussed universal broadband access and the possible inclusion of it as part of the Regents federal legislative agenda.  The discussion focused on the biggest challenges – insufficient bandwidth/technical support inside individual school buildings and cost.  Staff will update the Regents at the March meeting with more accurate information on the numbers of districts with access to broadband and how they will continue to address broadband access and New York’s overall digital infrastructure as important priorities for implementing the Statewide Learning Technology Plan.  [EMSC (D) 3]

Regents College and Career Readiness Working Group - The Committee discussed the development of a work plan and timeline for the Regents College and Career Readiness Working Group.  The Working Group will develop recommendations to be submitted to the Board of Regents for discussion and approval in July and the appointment of a group of advisors to meet with the Working Group.  The recommendations will focus on High School Diploma Requirements, High School Assessments, and GED policy and program.  The Working Group will keep the Regents informed regularly on their progress.  [EMSC (A) 1]

School of One – Joel Rose, Chief Executive Officer of The School of One (NYCDOE) made a brief presentation on the School’s pilot program that began in the summer of 2009 at MS 131 in Manhattan.  The School of One is a model for re-thinking how instruction is provided to students.  The model uses a mix of live and online instruction that is customized to students based on their performance and the type of instruction that each student responds to best.  The pilot will continue as after-school programs at three middle schools in New York City.

That concludes our report.

                                                                                                  Anthony Bottar and Merryl Tisch       

                                                                                                  Co-Chairs