by: Deborah White
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
In a departure from the regular two-day format, the State Board of Education met at 12:00 Noon for committee meetings followed by the Committee of the Whole Meeting at 3:30. This is the second time the Board has used an “experimental” meeting schedule; in March, the board met for only one day. The agenda was very lengthy with 63 action items and 15 items for information. Some of the Items discussed in committee meetings and the recommendations for action are outlined for your review.
The Budget Committee reviewed and discussed 35 contracts and grants proposed for action by State Department of Education staff and 10 items for information. Funding issues related to virtual schooling, technology, Title I, Title IID, IDEA, Stimulus, testing, adapted sports, and fresh fruits and vegetables were discussed. The National Board Certification salary supplement for FY 09 was capped at 9.2% instead of the 10% as originally proposed. The grant to local school districts was amended to not exceed $12,894,628 a reduction of 600,000 from the $13,294,628 approved at the May Board Meeting. The committee approved 32 items for the Consent Agenda including the FY 2010 state salary schedule, 5 year facility plans submitted by LEAs, and technology for ARRA financial reporting.
The FY10 contracts for the State Assessment Program recommended for the Consent Agenda were:
Test Company Cost
EOCT Pearson 5,840,193.
GKIDS University System of GA 184,211.
CRCT CTB McGraw Hill 12,500,000.
GHSGT Pearson 3,518,481.
Writing University System of GA 1,642,864.
PSAT The College Board 1,080,000.
SAT The College Board 600,000.
GA Online Assessment Riverside 1,021,653.
Total Cost 26,387,402.
The Budget Committee pulled two items related to Odyssey and the Georgia Virtual Academy.
The Charter Schools Committee heard reports from staff and discussed new charter petitions, charter renewals, a charter termination, and possible amendments to two charter agreements.
DOE staff reported that the Georgia Charter School Commission will conduct a meeting in the State Board of Education Room at 10:00 a.m. on June 18th.
The committee concurred with the recommendation for three State Chartered Special Schools—Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts and Technology; Ivy Preparatory Academy Charter School; and Scholars Academy Charter School—to petition the Georgia Charter Schools Commission for approval as Commission Charter Schools. The item was recommended for the Consent Agenda.
The Charter Committee recommended the following charter requests to be placed on the Consent Agenda:
New Charter Petitions for Conversion Schools
Reese Road Leadership Academy, PK-5, Muscogee County – 5 years
Sandy Springs Charter Middle, 6-8, Fulton County – 5 years
Sardis Enrichment School, K-5, Hall County – 5 years
Smoke Rise Elementary, PK-5, DeKalb County – 5 years
Renewal Charter Petitions for Conversion Schools
Chamblee Charter High School, 9-12, DeKalb County – 5 years
Chestnut Charter School, PK-5, DeKalb County – 5 years
Spalding Drive Charter Elementary, K-5, Fulton County – 5 years
Renewal Charter Petitions for Start Up Schools
Amana Academy, K-8, Fulton County – 5 years
Bishop Hall Charter School, 9-12, Thomas County – 5 years
Central Education Center, 8-12, Coweta County – 10 years
Hapeville Charter School, 6-12, Fulton County – 10 years
International Community School, K-6, DeKalb County – 5 years
Kennesaw Charter School, K-5, Cobb County – 1 year
New Life Academy, K-8, Gwinnett County – 3 years
Tech High School, 9-12, Atlanta Public Schools – 5 years
Other items recommended for the Consent Agenda were:
Approval of the Charter amendments for DeKalb Academy of Technology and the Environment and Golden Isles Career Academy in Glynn County
To deny the request for renewal of the charter for the Academy of Lithonia, K-8, DeKalb County
To approve the request to terminate the Connected Academy a 10-12 LEA Start Up in Fulton County
The Destiny Academy of Excellence’s Charter renewal request was discussed at length and the committee recommended the item to be placed on the Board’s Action Agenda.
Under Items for Information, the committee members discussed the Odyssey School’s charter renewal and subsequent movement to the Georgia Charter Schools Commission for consideration. DOE staff indicated that contract negotiations were continuing with the Odyssey School and the Georgia Virtual Academy (GVA). GVA staff stated that they were working to comply with DOE recommendations and requests. Odyssey Company personnel stated that their primary goal is to 'get to’ the Georgia Charter Schools Commission as quickly as possible.
The Rules Committee discussed and recommended the following items for the Consent Agenda:
Instructional Program Waivers were requested by the Jackson County School District and the Spalding County School District. Jackson County requested to use standards-based reporting for grades K-8 without the use of a letter or numerical grade. Spalding County’s waiver requested to use standards-based reporting for grades K-5 without the use of a letter or numerical grade.
Class Size Waivers were requested by six school districts.
97 systems, totaling 220 schools, requested a System Waiver for Rule 160-4-2-.16 Scheduling for Instruction for 2009-2010. The systems are using block scheduling rather than the traditional five classes per day. The impact on student achievement was the main topic. 90 schools met AYP and 107 did not meet AYP; the remaining schools were not designated because of too few students, new schools, or programs.
DOE staff presented the Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Providers List for 2009-2010 to approve 70 applicants, 35 renewals and 35 new providers.
The Rules Committee recommended for Board action the initiation of Rule 160-5-1-.07 Student Data Collection—The rule will require that the Georgia Testing Identifier (GTID) be the official student identifier of record and for the GTID to be printed on the student’s report card. The Rules Committee discussed at length the GTID and maintaining the security of the number. The rule also included AYP certification requirements. When presented to the Committee of the Whole, Superintendent Cox emphasized the AYP certification requirements. Unless there is a hardship, school districts not submitting data by the deadline will not be given an opportunity to make corrections.
DOE staff The Federal Update presented by DOE staff highlighted the Common Core Standards Initiative. Forty-nine States and territories have joined to develop a common core of standards in ELA and mathematics for grades K-12. The college and career ready standards are expected to be completed in July 2009 and the grade-by-grade standards work by December 2009.
Discussion Items included Rule 160-4-2-.16 Scheduling for Instruction; Rule 160-5-1-.02 School Day for Students; and Rule 160-5-1-.01 School Year. Changes in these rules are necessary to address HB 193—Provisions Allowing Hourly Equivalent of 180 Day School Year—that becomes effective July 1, 2009.
The Committee of the Whole convened at 3:30. Chairman Barrs announced that Al Hodge was absent in order to represent the State Board at the GSBA Conference. The Third Congressional District Representative is vacant. Sixty items including the May State Board Meeting Minutes were approved to be on the Consent Agenda for action on Thursday. The Renewal Charter Petition request for Destiny Academy of Excellence and initiation of Rule 160-5-1-.07 were also placed on Thursday’s agenda for action.
Kathleen Mathers from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement presented a report on the fifth-grade math Criterion-Referenced Competency Test taken last summer. OSA conducted an audit of the math retest for fifth graders in 600 elementary schools across the State. An Erasure Analysis was performed and questions were raised about the number of test answers changed by four (4) of the 600 schools. The preliminary results of the OSA audit found that testing protocol was not followed and that the PSC should conduct an investigation.
Thursday, June 11
Chairman Barrs called the June State Board Meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. A motion to go into Executive Session was approved; the Executive Session concluded at 9:30. Following the inspiration and Pledge to the Flag, the Excellence Recognition Program began. Fourteen students were commended for outstanding achievement. Gwen Desselle, U.S. History Teacher Colquitt County was recognized as the 2010 Teacher of the Year.
Chairman Barrs stated that there was a request to remove the Destiny Academy of Excellence Renewal Charter Petition from the action agenda. The 60 items on the Consent Agenda and the initiation of Rule 160-5-1-.07 were approved. For more information on the items outlined in this report and for other items
Superintendent Cox reported that test scores for Georgia’s elementary and middle school students improved in all areas this year, especially in the areas of mathematics and science. This was the first year that all the CRCTs were aligned to the new GPS curriculum. Eighth-grade math showed the largest one-year gain increasing eight percentage points. The pass rate was 70 percent.
The meeting adjourned at 11:55 a.m.
|