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

 

TO:	Full Board
FROM:	James A. Kadamus
SUBJECT:	Roosevelt Union Free School District
DATE:	May 3, 2005
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

Executive Summary

 

Issue for Discussion

 

            The status of the Roosevelt Union Free School District.

 

Proposed Handling

 

            At the May Board of Regents meeting, Mr. Edward McCormick, Roosevelt School Board Chairperson, and Mr. Ronald Ross, Superintendent of Schools, will present a report on the educational progress of the Roosevelt Union Free School District.  The attached report includes information provided by Superintendent Ross as well as a status report on technical assistance provided by Department staff.

 

Procedural History

 

            Periodically, the Board of Regents requests a report on the status of the Roosevelt Union Free School District, for which the New York State Education Department provides oversight as required by State legislation.

 

Background Information

 

Roosevelt Union Free School District is the only New York State take-over school district. On April 12, 2002, Chapter 33 of the Laws of 2002 was enacted into law authorizing the removal of the Board of Education (BOE) of the Roosevelt Union Free School District and the appointment of an interim Board by the Commissioner of Education.

 

Section 1 of the statute authorizes the Commissioner of Education to appoint and supervise the superintendent of schools, and he may disapprove the appointments of assistant or associate superintendents, building principals and other school administration in accordance with contractual agreements, while ensuring stability in the governance and administration of the school district.  The Commissioner exercises fiscal control as well as educational program oversight. The interim Board of Education must provide a five-year education plan with annual updates; a five-year financial stabilization plan for the district that ensures revenues and expenditures are in balance; and periodic updates to the Board of Regents of the educational progress of the school district.

 

Mr. Horace Williams left his position as superintendent of Roosevelt on June 30, 2004.  Following an unsuccessful superintendent search process, Commissioner Mills appointed Mr. Ronald O. Ross to serve as interim superintendent beginning July 1, 2004.  Several other cabinet level new appointments were also made, including Dr. Fayth Vaughn-Shavuo, principal of the high school; Mr. Michael Jones, principal of the newly created middle school; Ms. Dawn Johnson-Adams, deputy superintendent; Mrs. Kathleen Gilmore, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction; and Dr. Leoncio Torres, assistant superintendent of data research, evaluation and assessment and guidance.

 

In 2004, the junior-senior high school was divided into a separate middle school and high school, each with their own BEDS code.

 

While student performance at the elementary level remains consistently high for both English Language Arts and mathematics, the Department is concerned about student performance in English Language Arts and mathematics at the middle school and high school.  Only fourteen percent of all students (general education and students with disabilities) performed at Level 3 and only two percent performed at Level 4 on the January 2004 grade 8 English Language Arts assessment.  Only eighteen percent of all students performed at Level 3 on the May 2004 grade 8 mathematics assessment and only two percent performed at Level 4.

 

Achievement on the Regents examination in Comprehensive English has shown some improvement.  For the 1999 cohort (all students), 23 percent scored in the 65–84 range and, for the 2000 cohort, 30 percent scored in the 65–84 range.  For the 1999 cohort, five percent scored in the 85–100 range and, for the 2000 cohort, thirteen percent scored in the 85–100 range.  On the Regents examination in mathematics, 20 percent of the 1999 cohort scored between 65–84 and 24 percent of the 2000 cohort scored in the 65–84 percent range.  However, for the 1999 cohort, only three percent scored in the 85–100 range and one percent of the 2000 cohort scored in this range. 

 

Performance at the secondary level for both English Language Arts and mathematics has led to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Restructuring designation.  The middle-senior high school has also been a State-designated School Under Registration Review (SURR) since 1990.  Attachment C, 2002–2004 Student Performance Data, provides additional information.

 

 

Under the district’s new leadership beginning in the 2004–2005 school year, there have been a number of promising initiatives and plans.  The planning for the Restructuring process is now solidly underway, and the district is examining classroom instructional practice and planning for strategies to support good teaching.  For example, consultants have been hired to provide coaching for teachers of mathematics and English Language Arts in grades 7 and 8.  The district is now also participating in the Mathematics, Science and Technology Partnership Project (MSTP Project) that is focused on improving middle school mathematics teaching and learning. This Project, serving 10 districts on Long Island, is funded by a National Science Foundation grant to Hofstra University.  The Superintendent’s reports to the Department on significant accomplishments and planned activities provide additional information and are provided in Attachments A and B.

 

The efforts of Department offices and the regional technical assistance networks are summarized in Attachment D. These efforts are targeted toward closing the performance gap and include a focus on finance, governance, planning, student support services, and special education.  In addition, the Department provides very close oversight of the Roosevelt facilities plan and construction process.  

 

The attached report includes the following materials:

Attachment A:            Superintendent’s Report to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) on Significant Accomplishments, July 2004 – May 2005

 

Attachment B:            Superintendent’s Report to NYSED on Planned Activities, May 2005 – May 2006

 

Attachment C:            2002 - 2004 Student Performance Data

 

Attachment D:            Technical Assistance Provided by the NYS Education Department and Regional Networks, 2004 - 2005

 

Recommendation

 

            Since the Superintendent of Schools and the School Board Chairperson will make a presentation at the May Board of Regents meeting, the Regents should identify the questions or issues they would like to discuss with them.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

            The Department will provide periodic reports to the Board of Regents on the status of the Roosevelt Union Free School District.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATTACHMENT A

 

Superintendent’s Report to NYSED on Significant Accomplishments, July 2004- May 2005

 

·        Hired a consultant coach to focus on Grade 4 English Language Arts (ELA) beginning in the summer.

 

·        Continued ELA coaching for teachers one day per month during 2004-2005, beginning with preparation for the Grade 4 State assessment.  After January, the focus is on coaching Grade 3 teachers and reading specialists.

 

·        Re‑instituted Reading Recovery for Grade 1 with plans to train one

more teacher for the 2005‑2006 school year.

 

·        Eliminated Project GRAD and developed alternative ways to target resources toward greatest areas of need.

 

·        Met with reading specialists and Reading Recovery teachers monthly, for the first time in many years. Most of the teachers have no memory of ever meeting together with administrative staff in the central office.  The next meeting will focus on selecting leveled books for a balanced literacy focus, as well as deciding on a district-wide kindergarten through Grade 3 diagnostic tool (either Observation Survey or Developmental Reading Assessment).

 

·        Met with mathematics specialists monthly; sent specialists and selected grade level representatives to mathematics staff development at Old Westbury College.

 

·        Provided a Mathematics Night for parents of Grade 4 students preparing to take the mathematics assessment; English as a second language (ESL) support and instructional technology were included.

 

·        Provided a Grade 4 mathematics workshop for all Grade 4 teachers by New York University Metro Center.

 

·        Sent a pre‑kindergarten and kindergarten representative from each building to an Early Childhood Conference at Hofstra University.

 

·        Met with Nassau BOCES to connect with Even Start; offered them a little used building on the pre‑kindergarten premises so that Even Start can meet during the day for GED classes and parenting classes for the parents of pre‑kindergarten children and their siblings.  Hired an ESL teacher for them. (The community was promised this resource by the district several years ago.)

 

·        Installed PowerSchool attendance function (electronic attendance taking by teachers implemented in elementary schools). Each school participated in an initial workshop by curriculum and technology and a full week of follow‑up by the technology department.  Attendance will be taken by all teachers in the middle and high school electronically by September.  PowerSchool scheduling is now underway for the middle school and the high school.

 

·        Began restructuring and rescheduling both the middle school and the high school.  A consultant was hired to advise on this process and is working with the technology department, building principals, curriculum and instruction department, and those individuals who developed schedules in the past.

 

·        Identified the weakest teachers and the strongest teachers, and programs and schedules are being planned accordingly.  Those who are probationary and weak are being let go.

 

·        Provided training for teachers for a robotics team of middle and high school students that was formed this year. In competition at Hofstra University with over 100 schools competing, many of which have competed for years, the Roosevelt team won the Judges Award and was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

 

·        Began monitoring and redesigning all grant-funded programs as needed to ensure quality of programming under a newly hired Grants Program Manager.

 

·        Hired an Instructional Technology Integration Specialist who will support instruction in all classrooms with mobile laptops.

 

·        Created a family support center through a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant, which is under the aegis of a Family Support Manager who oversees a parent‑liaison, hot‑line crisis staff, social workers, student assistance counselors, substance abuse counselors and psychologists. We will work with gang intervention specialists and career/college advisors this summer. The center is open to all students and families and provides referral services, counseling and workshops for students and families.

 

·        Hired New York University mathematics coaches for Grades 7 and 8 and a literacy consultant for Grades 7 and 8.

 

·        Implemented parent workshops on Math TI‑84 scientific calculators for parents of high school students (to inform them of their students' need to learn these skills).  Held parent workshops on social and emotional issues.

 

·        Held parent meeting in Spanish with English translation provided for English speaking parents.

 

·        Separated the middle school from the high school and hired the middle school principal and assistant principal.

 

·        Meet monthly with the student advisory council.

 ATTACHMENT B

 

Superintendent’s Report to the NYSED on Planned Activities, May 2005 – May 2006

 

·        Grade 6 will have a June Academy; all sixth graders can attend an after-school mathematics and ELA (Sylvan) program from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM with busing.

 

·        A census module will be purchased as a parent portal and attendance phone to work with the new PowerSchool system. This module will allow automatic calls to parents concerning their child's attendance as well as allowing parents e‑mail contact with teachers.

 

·        The district will hire a web master to redesign the district web page to include connections to the PowerSchool attendance, parent portal, grades and homework on‑line as well as for streaming video of new construction and classroom activities and events.

 

·        The Grants Department is seeking funding under the Homeland Security Act for a math course on counter‑terrorism for grades 11 and 12.  The course is developed by Dr. Jonathan Farley of MIT and Harvard. Dr. Farley is working with several Roosevelt mathematics teachers to design the curriculum as well as to develop justification for the grant.

 

·        A Ninth Grade Academy is planned for September 2005, with a separate

principal and 10 teams of 20 students each. In the week before school

opens, all incoming Grade 9 students will attend an orientation week

through Nassau BOCES Outdoor Education program (Project Adventure,

Marine Biology) as will all 12 Grade 9 teachers (teachers who have

self‑selected to participate in the Ninth Grade Academy). Teachers will be with

the students in the morning and will receive team building training in the afternoon.

 

·        The middle school will have the first period every day for common planning time. The high school will have this same planning time, structured around core teams who will also be advisory.

 

·        The security staff will be “professionalized” by hiring retired police officers.

 

·        Monthly meetings are held with teachers who aspire to administrative positions, and workshops on interview techniques and other administrative skills are conducted.

 

·        Foreign language instruction in Grade 1 in one elementary school has been established.

 

·        Algebra instruction in Grade 5 in one elementary school has been established.

 

 

·        Chess instruction for all students has been established once a week by grand masters in one elementary school.

 

·        Senior students have been hired to work on construction sites for new school buildings.

 

·        Community residents have been hired to work on construction sites for new school buildings.

 

·        Several Advanced Placement classes have been installed in the high school. There has never been an Advanced Placement class.

 

·        The process has begun for an International Baccalaureate (IB) program for the new middle school.

 

·        Central office staff continues to be streamlined for efficiency of scale and professionalism.

 

·        Debate, foreign language, math, science, model United Nations, and mock trial teams at the high school will be established.

 

·        A “No Pass‑No Play” will be instituted for all extra curricular activities at the high school.

 

 

ATTACHMENT C

2002 - 2004 Student Performance Data

 

While the elementary schools are all reaching the targeted Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) in English Language Arts and mathematics, the middle school and senior high school have not reached the Commissioner’s established targets. The junior-senior high school was identified as a School Under Registration Review (SURR) in 1990 and remains at risk of registration revocation because of the failure to meet standards in English Language Arts and mathematics. The tables below show the student performance at the elementary, middle and high school levels in English Language Arts and mathematics (based on School Report Card data, February 2005).

 

Elementary Level – English Language Arts

Performance at This District	Number of Students					Mean Score
	Level 1 455-602	Level 2 603-644	Level 3 645-691	Level 4 692-800	Total Tested
Jan-Feb.2002	9 (3%)	70 (26%)	139 (52%)	51 (19%)	269	663
Feb. 2003	9 (4%)	55 (26%)	88 (42%)	57 (27%)	209	666
Feb. 2004	7 (3%)	68 (29%)	128 (54%)	35 (15%)	238	660

 

 

Middle Level – English Language Arts

Performance at This District	Number of Students					Mean Score
	Level 1 527-659	Level 2 660-698	Level 3 699-737	Level 4 738-830	Total Tested
March 2002	64 (39%)	85 (52%)	15 (9%)	1 (1%)	165	666
	Level 1 527-657	Level 2 658-696	Level 3 697-736	Level 4 737-830	Total Tested	Mean Score
Jan. 2003	44 (24%)	109 (60%)	24 (13%)	6 (3%)	183	675
Jan. 2004	49 (27%)	106 (58%)	25 (14%)	3 (2%)	183	675

 

 

High School – English Achievement After Four Years of Instruction

English Graduation Requirement Achievement after Four Years of High School
	Cohort Members All Students	Highest Score Between 0-54	Highest Score Between 55 and 64	Highest Score Between 65 and 84	Highest Score between 85 and 100	Approved Alternative Credit
1998 Cohort	123	14 (11%)	21 (17%)	44 (36%)	4 (3%)	0
1999 Cohort	196	19 (10%)	24 (12%)	45 (23%)	9 (5%)	0
2000 Cohort	117	6 (5%)	10 (9%)	35 (30%)	15 (13%)	0

 

 

 

Elementary Level – Mathematics

Performance at This District	Number of Students					Mean Score
	Level 1 448-601	Level 2 602-636	Level 3 637-677	Level 4 678-810	Total Tested
May 2002	10 (4%)	48 (18%)	146 (54%)	64 (24%)	268	658
May 2003	5 (2%)	44 (19%)	115 (50%)	67 (29%)	231	660
May 2004	4 (2%)	45 (19%)	145 (61%)	44 (18%)	238	657

 

 

Middle Level – Mathematics

Performance at This District	Number of Students					Mean Score
	Level 1 517-680	Level 2 681-715	Level 3 716-759	Level 4 760-882	Total Tested
May 2002	97 (56%)	56 (32%)	19 (11%)	2 (1%)	174	675
May 2003	108 (53%)	56 (27%)	38 (19%)	3 (1%)	205	678
May 2004	86 (45%)	68 (35%)	35 (18%)	3 (2%)	192	679

 

 

 

High School  – Mathematics Achievement After Four Years of Instruction

Mathematics Graduation Requirement Achievement after Four Years of High School
	Cohort Members All Students	Highest Score Between 0-54	Highest Score Between 55 and 64	Highest Score Between 65 and 84	Highest Score between 85 and 100	Approved Alternative Credit
1998 Cohort	123	34 (28%)	27 (22%)	29 (24%)	8 (7%)	0
1999 Cohort	196	57 (29%)	21 (11%)	40 (20%)	5 (3%)	0
2000 Cohort	117	43 (37%)	10 (9%)	28 (24%)	1 (1%)	0

 

 

 

ATTACHMENT D

 

Technical Assistance Provided by the NYS Education Department (NYSED) and Regional Networks, 2004 – 2005

 

There is a NYSED/Roosevelt technical assistance policy in effect that governs the technical assistance provided to the Roosevelt Union Free School District. This policy requires that the Regional School Services liaison to Roosevelt, Dr. Linval Foster, serve as a gatekeeper to ensure that technical assistance is provided in a coherent and coordinated manner.

 

The following provides a brief summary of the technical assistance provided to the district during the 2004 – 2005 school year.  At the request of the superintendent, the NYSED and its regional technical assistance networks waited approximately two months before initiating any services.  This time allowed the newly appointed superintendent to assess the needs at the district for services and establish priorities.

 

I.                     Monthly Meetings: NYS Education Department (NYSED) Leadership and Roosevelt Administrative Cabinet

 

NYSED initiated a practice of monthly meetings with Superintendent Ross and his administrative cabinet. NYSED participants include management level representatives of the Commissioner, and NYSED staff representing school improvement (general education and special education), finance and budgeting, and facilities planning. Each agenda is jointly developed and the location of the meetings alternates between Roosevelt and Albany.  To date, these meetings have been held on January 7, 2005; February 18, 2005; April 5, 2005.  The next meeting is planned for May 12, 2005. Monthly meetings provide the opportunity for both Roosevelt and NYSED leadership to be well informed about the needs and progress of the district on such topics as academic performance, data management, construction projects, fiscal and budgetary matters, and plans required under regulation or statute.

 

II.                   Restructuring Plan Development Required Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

 

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School was identified as having students who have not met the standards in English Language Arts and mathematics for four consecutive years, and, therefore, the school is now in restructuring status. This status requires district leadership to develop and implement a Restructuring Plan to change governance and allocate more resources for the school.  Since Roosevelt now has a separate middle school and high school, it will develop a separate plan for each building.  Long Island Regional School Support Center staff and NYSED staff have been facilitating the process of developing meaningful plans. 

 

In May 2004, staff from the Long Island Regional School Support Center began working with Roosevelt to assist in completing the NCLB Restructuring Plan that was due June 30, 2004. Staff met with Ms. Sandra Hassan, then high school principal, who assembled a restructuring committee consisting of various stakeholders. Several meetings were held during June. Ms. Hassan left the high school on June 30. The plan was not completed.

 

In August 2004, Long Island Regional School Support Center staff and NYSED staff met with Superintendent Ronald Ross, the newly appointed interim superintendent of the Roosevelt schools. Staff updated Mr. Ross on restructuring requirements and efforts and offered to re-start the process in the fall.  Mr. Ross informed us that, having just come on board, he preferred to wait until he could assess the Roosevelt environment before beginning this process. In March 2005, a follow-up meeting was held with Mr. Ross. He agreed to start the process and that, inasmuch as the middle school and the high school were now separate, it would be in Roosevelt’s best interest to execute a Restructuring Plan for both school units.

 

To date, a planning meeting at the Roosevelt administrative level and organizational meetings of the restructuring teams for both the high school and the middle school have taken place.  Each team now understands the expectations associated with planning for restructuring.  Next meetings were held April 14, 2005 at the middle school and April 20, 2005 at the high school. The expectation is to complete these plans for submission to the Board of Education by June 2005.

 

III.               Roosevelt Facilities Plan as of April 2005

 

The Roosevelt voters approved a total of $208.5 million on two bond propositions on June 15, 2004.

 

The total work consists of demolition and replacement of three elementary schools on the same sites, the construction of a new middle school on newly acquired property from Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead, and the partial demolition and full rehabilitation of the existing junior/senior high school into a senior high school.

 

Centennial Elementary School is in the first phase of the project and currently under construction.  It is anticipated that this building will be occupied in September 2005 as required by the Roosevelt legislation.

 

The next phases consist of the construction of the middle school and Washington Rose Elementary School.  Both schools have been designed and NYSED staff from the Office of Facilities Planning (OFP) have reviewed these projects and issued building permits.  The middle school has not yet been started and is behind schedule by approximately one year due to difficulties encountered in regard to land acquisition.  There are issues surrounding the Town of Hempstead parcel.  These issues are expected to be resolved in the next one to two months, which would result in middle school occupancy in September 2007.

 

Washington Rose Elementary School bids were opened on April 11, 2005. They are currently being evaluated, and the school is expected to be occupied in September 2006.

 

Staff from OFP regularly visits the district to review construction progress and to consult with architects, engineers, and construction managers on issues regarding the capital program.

 

IV.        Roosevelt Financial Condition

 

Roosevelt continues to improve its financial position.  The community has approved its budgets for the past two years and has enabled the district to undertake an ambitious program to renovate and replace capital facilities.  The district’s spending per pupil is about average for a Nassau County district.  On the basis of the most recent State Aid data, the district’s Approved Operating Expense per pupil is roughly $12,000 – twenty-sixth out of the 56 districts in Nassau County.  Likewise, the district’s tax effort is about average.  Its equalized tax rate is thirty-second out of 56 districts.  Both reflect a higher effort on the part of the district.

 

Despite this progress, the district remains heavily dependent on special State Aid.  It will need to continue to work aggressively to improve its financial posture so that it will be in a viable position when those special provisions are phased out.

 

V.                 Audit

 

The Office of Audit Services (OAS) is conducting an audit of the Roosevelt Union Free School District.  The scope of the audit includes a review of internal controls in the areas of governance (the control environment) and planning, accounting and reporting, revenue and cash management, purchasing and expenditures, facilities and equipment, student services, and student-related data.  In addition, OAS will review how the district uses its IDEA funds.  Fieldwork began on March 30, 2005.  A preliminary report will be provided to the district at the conclusion of fieldwork by the beginning of May.  A draft report will be prepared immediately thereafter.  The district will have 30 days to respond to the draft report before a final report is issued.

 

Proposal for Roosevelt UFSD Training:  The training regarding school district internal controls and oversight, scheduled for May 3, 2005, is planned for a four-hour period and is proposed to be delivered by staff from the NYSED.  It is planned for the following district officials: superintendent, business official, purchasing agent, internal auditor, treasurer and district clerk.  The following proposed agenda topics go from a broader oversight focus to a narrower internal control emphasis:

 

Internal Controls

·        Oversight of school district financial condition (examination of Roosevelt data)

·        Purchasing process and the role of district staff in the process

·        Statutory role of the Internal Claims Auditor and recommended expanded internal control/audit procedures

·        Roles of Clerks and Treasurers in strengthening internal controls

·        Improving Roosevelt reports

-- Monthly Treasurer’s Cash Report

-- Monthly Budget Status Report

·        Using audit results as a management tool (Roosevelt audit planned by NYSED for late March 2005 and Comptroller’s audits of other Long Island districts)

·        Maximizing revenues from grants and State Aid

·        Looking ahead: Comptroller’s five-point plan and pending legislation        

 

VI.               Student Support Services

 

The Roosevelt School District has a 21^st Century grant that supports after-school activities and a family support center.  The program is available to all schools in the district.  Technical assistance has been provided to help re-energize this program.  The family support center was reopened and a staff member hired.  Long Island Student Support Services Center (LISSSC) staff trained 21^st Century after-school employees regarding safety and security during after-school hours. In addition, the LISSSC network provides technical assistance to support implementation of all components of the program on an ongoing basis.

 

VII.              Special Education

 

The VESID/Long Island Regional Office of Special Education Quality Assurance (SEQA), in collaboration with EMSC and its Long Island (LI) network partners - the LI Special Education Training and Resource Center (SETRC), LI Regional School Support Center (RSSC), the Office of Student Support Services and the Hofstra University Graduate School of Education - has provided focused and cohesive technical assistance to address identified compliance issues and to improve Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for students with disabilities.  Some examples are:

 

·        Phase II of the Quality Assurance Focused Review in the area of “least restrictive environment” (LRE) has emphasized staff development in the middle-senior high school including: 1) classroom management; 2) behavior management; 3) differentiated instruction; 4) consultant teacher instruction; 5) inclusion models; 6) IEP development; 7), transition planning; 8). pre-referral strategies; 9) CSE process, 8) IDEA updates, and 9) parent workshops.  The result was an improvement in several critical KPIs over the past 18 months, including the reduction in the classification rate of students with disabilities from approximately 13% to 10% and the reduction of out-of-district separate placements from approximately 27% to 24%. 

 

·        Collaborative and cohesive planning between general educators and special educators has been encouraged and supported by SEQA in all of its technical assistance activities and planning. This includes: 1) joint meetings with Ms. Kathy Gilmore, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, with Dr. Dionne Wynn, the Director of Pupil Personnel Services; and 2) the development of “instructional support teams” to decrease referrals to special education and to strengthen the understanding of general educators and special educators of the individual needs and strengths of the students.

 

·        SEQA has facilitated partnerships with SETRC, RSSC, Hofstra University Graduate School of Education, the Roosevelt Parent-Teacher Association, the Nassau Special Education Parent Teacher Association, and the Hispanic Counseling Center to support professional development for educators and parents.  This includes: 1) job-embedded training; 2) technical support for general and special education staff in the inclusion programs; 3) improvement in resource room services; 4) improvement of the evaluation process; and 5) incorporation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) into daily instruction.

 

·        In addition to the above achievements and movement towards systemic changes, there remain challenges, including the following: 1) special education teachers must become better prepared to address the State's higher learning standards and curriculum content areas; and 2) for all new construction of school buildings, the district has provided written assurances and plans to return significant numbers of students with disabilities currently in separate private and BOCES placements to home schools.  Nassau BOCES has pledged classrooms in certain identified buildings to create another level and continuum of service in the district and for neighboring school districts in the region. These plans will require an accelerated and higher level of administrative, general education and special education teachers, and parent and student preparedness. SEQA will continue to be available to work closely with the administration to ensure that the actual construction of classrooms is consistent with the agreed upon number and location of both in-district special education and BOCES identified instructional space.

 

VIII.            Governance

 

Under Chapter 33 of the Laws of 2002, the New York State Board of Regents was authorized to appoint an interim Board for the Roosevelt Union Free School District.  A total of five Board members must be appointed, at least three must be residents of the district, and no more than two of whom may be non-residents. At this time, one Board member who previously resided in the district has moved outside the district.  Therefore, it is necessary to realign the Board so that it is in compliance with the law.  Department staff has developed a process and timeline for selecting a new Board of Education member and for bringing the representation on the Board into compliance with the law.  It is expected that the Board of Regents will be asked to appoint the recommended candidate at its June meeting.

 

The Department will require that the Roosevelt Board of Education conduct a self-assessment of its effectiveness as a board of education and its adherence to requirements set forth in law. To support this requirement, the Department is developing a tool that will serve as a checklist for this self-assessment. This tool will focus on the requirements of any Board of Education under school law, as well as the unique requirements of the Roosevelt Board of Education under Chapter 33 of the Laws of 2002.