Committee Report | February 2012

Report of the

REGENTS P-12 EDUCATION COMMITTEE

to

The Board of Regents

February 14, 2012

Your P-12 Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on February 13, 2012.  All members were present except for Vice Chancellor Cofield and Regent Norwood, who were excused.

 
ACTION ITEMS

Charter Schools

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that the proposed revised charter for South Bronx Classical Charter School: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will permit the charter school to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the above listed charter revision as proposed by Chancellor of the NYCDOE and the provisional charter is amended accordingly.   [P-12 (A) 1]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that the proposed charter school: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school , and the Board of Regents therefore approves and issues the  first renewal charter of the Icahn Charter School 2 as proposed by the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including July 31, 2012.  [P-12 (A) 2]

The Committee requested that future charter school revision and renewal items include a description of the school’s student performance compared to that of other schools in the district.  Also, when reviewing charter school applications, the Committee asked that staff closely look at the impact of co-location and how it might affect the rest of the district.

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD


Madam Chancellor and Colleagues: Your P-12 Education Committee recommends, and I 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 14, 2012, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Dignity for All Students Act

The Committee discussed proposed amendments to regulations that would establish standards for a program to train school employees and administrators to promote a positive school environment that is free from discrimination and harassment; and to discourage and respond to incidents of discrimination and/or harassment on school property or at a school function. Following a public comment period, the proposed amendments will be presented to the Committee for action in April.  [P-12 (D) 1]

Career and Technical Education and Student Achievement Measures

The Committee discussed the establishment of a rigorous and aligned CTE system allowing students who receive a technical endorsement in selected areas and who earn a minimum of 65 on all required Regents exams, to be counted with full credit for accountability purposes.  Staff recommends that additional steps be taken to more formally align this standard with the Regents’ Aspirational Performance Measures by convening an expert advisory panel to review CTE programs and assessments.  This panel will make recommendations at a future Committee meeting on which CTE diploma endorsements should be considered for students to meet the Aspirational Performance Measures.  Staff also recommends that a more robust set of data be made available to educators and researches by making necessary changes to the student longitudinal data system to properly capture and report CTE data; that the expansion of allowable integrated credits continues to be explored; and that periodic updates be provided to the Board throughout the year.   [P-12 (D) 2]

CTE Panel Presentation – Approved CTE Programs, Technical Skill Assessments and Accountability Measures

Panel Members

• Bernard Pierorazio, Superintendent, Yonkers Public Schools
• Thomas Rogers, District Superintendent, Nassau BOCES
• George Zion, Affiliate Director, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Hans K. Meeder, President, Meeder Consulting Group, LLC

          The panel presented overviews of their programs and answered questions relating to the quality and rigor of CTE approved programs, technical assessment administration and how these assessments are valid and reliable in measuring student achievement.  Discussion focused on the benefits of CTE programs for all students and the positive impact they have on college readiness.  Panelists discussed the need to get more students interested and engaged in CTE programs.  This could be accomplished by providing recognition for both the students and the programs; making it a high-level program so students feel they are taking challenging courses and preparing for college; and changing the overall perspective of CTE.   [P-12 (D) 3]

That concludes my report.

                                                                      Anthony Bottar, Chair

P-12 Education Committee

February 14, 2012