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

 

TO:	EMSC-VESID Committee
FROM:	James A. Kadamus
SUBJECT:	Proposed Amendment to the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to the Use of Superintendents’ Conference Days
DATE:	June 7, 2005
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

Summary

 

Issue for Discussion

 

          Should the Regents approve the proposed amendment to Section 175.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner to allow the use of two of the allowed four superintendents’ conference days for teacher rating of State assessments, including the grades 3-8 assessments required under No Child Left Behind (NCLB)?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

          Review of policy.

 

Proposed Handling

 

          This question will come before the EMSC-VESID Committee on June 20, 2005 for discussion.  It will then come before the EMSC-VESID Committee for approval at the September 2005 meeting.

 

Procedural History

 

          Not applicable.

 

Background Information

 

          Section 175.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner specifies the appropriate use of staff development activities by school districts to advance the implementation of the new high learning standards and assessments and to satisfy deficiencies in the length of public school sessions for the instruction of pupils.  The purpose of the proposed amendment to Section 175.5 is to permit a school district to use up to two of the allowed four superintendents' conference days provided for in Education Law section 3604(8) for teacher rating of State assessments, including grades 3-8 assessments required under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.  The rating of students' performance on the State assessments is an effective way for teachers to learn the new learning standards and therefore constitutes permissible staff development activities relating to implementation of the new high learning standards and assessments. 

 

A Notice of Proposed Rule Making will be published in the State Register no later than July 13, 2005.  Supporting materials for the proposed regulation are available upon request from the Secretary to the Board of Regents.

 

Recommendation

 

          The Board of Regents should reach consensus on the intent of the proposed amendment prior to adoption at the September 2005 meeting.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

          Upon approval by the Board of Regents, the proposed amendment would become effective on September 29, 2005.

 

 

Attachment

 

 

 

AMENDMENT OF THE REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION

Pursuant to Education Law sections 101, 207 and 3604

          Subdivision (f) of section 175.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is amended, effective September 29, 2005, as follows:

(f) Use of superintendents' conference days.  (1)  Superintendents’ conference days providing staff development activities that are related to implementation of the new high learning standards and assessments, general staff orientation, curriculum development, in-service education and/or parent-teacher conferences and that are for a minimum daily session as defined in subdivision (a) of this section shall be considered one superintendents' conference day authorized pursuant to section 3604(8) of the Education Law, provided that such conference days occur on days when the regular day schools of the school district may legally be in session, and provided further that such conference days may not be scheduled for routine school administrative matters such as the grading of assignments, the preparation of pupil assignments, recordkeeping or the preparation of lesson plans.

(2)  Superintendents' conference days providing staff development activities that are related to implementation of new high learning standards and assessments, and are based on a planned schedule for such conferences as adopted by the board of education at the beginning of the school year, may be used in hourly units totaling no more than five hours for each of the conference days authorized by section 3604(8) of the Education Law in conjunction with daily scheduled hours of pupil instruction and supervised study pursuant  to subdivision (a) of this  section in order to satisfy the minimum length of school day. 

(3)  Superintendents’ conference days providing staff development activities either before or after a regularly scheduled daily session of pupil instruction and supervised study that are related to implementation of new high learning standards and assessments and are based on a planned schedule for such conferences as adopted by the Board of Education at the beginning of the school year, may be used in hourly units totaling no more than five hours for each of the conference days authorized by section 3604(8) of the Education Law.  A total of five hours of such staff development activities shall be considered one superintendents’ conference day authorized pursuant to section 3604(8) of the Education Law.

(4)  Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subdivision, a school district may elect to use up to two of its superintendents’ conference days for teacher rating of State assessments, including but not limited to assessments required under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law section 107-110), which rating activities shall constitute staff development relating to implementation of the new high learning standards and assessments as authorized by section 3604(8) of the Education Law.