The State Board of Education met in its regular monthly meeting in Atlanta on March 10 and 11.
.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Committee Meetings

Public Hearings

Committee of the Whole

The Budget Committee reviewed contracts, and heard a report on activities of the Smokey Powell Assistive Technology Center which serves visually impaired students.  The Center’s comprehensive plan was recommended to the full board for approval.

The Charter Schools Committee received staff reports, discussed charter funding issues, heard a report on the Charter Commission and recommended seven charter petitions to the full board for approval.  One petition was recommended for denial.

The Rules Committee reviewed rules and waiver requests and recommended action to the full board for approval.  As has been the case over the past several months, a significant number of school systems are asking for rules waivers as a result of increasing financial difficulties.

No Public Hearing on State Board Rules was held this month.

The Committee of the Whole heard recommendations on action items from the committees, developed a consent agenda for the Thursday meeting, heard a report on the Georgia Performance Standards for K-5 Modern Languages, heard a report on activities of the three State Schools, heard a report on the status of the Longitudinal Data System, received a report on pending legislation, received an update on the progress of the CRCT erasure analysis, and was briefed on Georgia’s participation in the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

Thursday, March 11

State Board Meeting

Following executive session, the State Board of Education meeting began with an inspirational message from Dr. Elizabeth Ragsdale, board member from the Second Congressional District.  Dr. Ragsdale led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Deputy Superintendent Scott Austensen made a presentation on the status of the FY 10 and FY 11 budgets. It appears that during this year, there will be an $829 million shortfall in the state’s support of public education.  (Note: The possibility of more cuts became evident this afternoon with the release by the Governor of the new revenue estimates.)  To review the PowerPoint of the presentation, go to https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=1262&AID=225778

Action Items

The Board:

• Approved the Smokey Powell Assistive Technology Comprehensive Plan.
• Approved the Georgia Performance Standards for K-5 Modern Languages, Five-Day Model.
• Approved local facilities plans for Atkinson, Barrow, Forsyth, Gainesville, Lincoln, Monroe, Montgomery, Rabun and Treutlen.
• Approved minutes of the February meeting.

Contracts and Grants

The Board approved the following:

• Contract, University of Georgia Research Foundation, $92,000, for the evaluation of Supplemental Education Services providers.
• Contract amendment, University of West Georgia, no cost extension, to complete work on a validity study of the CLASS Keys teacher evaluation program.
• Contract, Pioneer RESA, $TBA, for warehousing and distribution of USDA commodities to local school systems.
• Contract, Georgia Department of Audits, $950,000, for audits of the Department of Education and local school districts.
• Contract, Georgia Department of Audits, $1,796,000, for audit of the ARRA funds.
• Contract, Vendor and amount TBA, for commodity warehouse for Regions 1, 5, 6, 7.

Charter Schools

The Board approved charter status for the following:

• Fulton Sunshine Academy
• Intown Academy (Atlanta)
• KIPP Vision (Atlanta)
• Leadership Preparatory Academy (DeKalb)
• Main Street Academy (Fulton)
• Newton College and Career Academy
• The Kindezi School (Atlanta)

The Board denied approval of the charter petition for West Chatham Preparatory Academy.

Rules

The Board:

• Adopted amendments to State Funded K-8 Subjects and 9-12 Courses for Students Entering Ninth Grade Prior to 2008.
• Adopted amendments to State Funded K-8 Subjects and 9-12 Courses for Students Entering Ninth Grade in 2008 and Subsequent Years.
• Adopted amendments to a variety of Special Education rules.
• The Board approved the following hardship waivers of rules resulting from “the substantial financial hardship caused by the precipitous decline in state and local revenues”:
  • Class Size Requirements: 4 school systems
  • Minimum Direct Classroom Expenditures: 14 school systems
  • Early Intervention Program: one school system
  • Program for English Language Learners Requirements: one school system
  • Georgia High School Graduation Test Remedial Program: one system
  • Guidance Counselor Requirements: two systems
  • Instructional Extension Requirements: three systems
  • Personnel Required: one system
  • Professional Learning: two systems
  • Summer Opportunity Program for Grades 4-8: one system
  • Standard Cost Development: one system
  • Dual Enrollment: six systems
  • School Year: one system

Items for Information

The Board received verbal or written information on the following:

• Upcoming contracts and grants proposals.
• List of approved contracts under $50,000.
• Upcoming CRCT and GHSGT standards setting.
• Upcoming charter petitions.

The next scheduled meeting of the State Board of Education is April 7-8.

This report is for information only and is not intended as an official record of State Board Actions.  For more information, contact the Georgia Department of Education – www.gadoe.org