AN UPDATE ON THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION PREPARED BY:
MARYLAND STATE
EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION · NEA
April 22, 2014
MEETING DATES FOR
THE STATE
BOARD OF EDUCATION
May20, 2014
June 23, 2014
July 22, 2014
August26, 2014 / Consent Agenda Items
The State Board of Education (SBOE) reviewed and approved the following:
- March 25, 2014 minutes
- Personnel
- Budget Adjustments for March, 2014
- Permission to Publish:
- COMAR 13A.04.12 program in Mathematics (AMEND)
- COMAR 13A.04.14 Program in English Language Arts (AMEND)
SBOE heard oral arguments forDeborah Price v. Baltimore City Board of Commissioners. Ms. Price, a teacher of 25 years with exemplary evaluationsis appealing the Baltimore City Board of Commissioner’s decision to dismiss her after a one time incident involving grabbing a student. The lawyer for Ms. Price argued that the student had been disruptive and when sent to the office was returned to the classroom by the assistant principal without conversation with the teacher. The student then became more disruptive to the lesson and began destruction of school property (overhead projector). The attorney for the school system countered that Ms. Price violated school system policy by grabbing the student and removing her from the classroom whenshe could have used other measures to address the behavior of a “playful” and “talkative” student. In follow-up questioning, several Board members took issue with the fact that there was no consultation with the teacher by the assistant principal to determine what had occurred and what steps should be taken. The City’s lawyer answered that with no note from the teacher, the assistant principal asked the girl why she had been sent to the office and that she answered: for talking. There was also concern expressed that when the principal interviewed the parties involved, no written notes were taken at the time and testimony at the hearing was from memory; the assistant principal was not part of the hearing. Dr. Gates, SBOE member, expressed concern that with no prior conflicts between Ms. Price and the student and no previous similar incidents by Ms. Price, this sounded like a zero-tolerance circumstance by the school district.
Public Hearing
Representatives from both the Baltimore City School Commissioners and the City of Baltimore Governance made an Agreed On Maintenance of Effort Waiver Request seeking a reduction in recurring costs of $2,925,582 due to an error in enrollment numbers. The city used Winter 2012 calculations from the school district that were higher than the certified counts published by MSDE. The city public schools also made a request for technical assistance to improve their enrollment counting process.
Action Items
COMAR 13A.03.02 Graduation Requirements for Public High Schools (AMEND)
Dr. Jack Smith, Chief Academic Officer, explained that amendments needed to be made to this section of COMAR to reflect a change in terminology, educational standards and/or legislation. The amendments are as followed:
- COMAR 13A.03.02.03: A mathematics course is beingadded as per the Maryland College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013 which requires students entering 9th grade in 2014-15 to enroll in a math course in each year of high school the student attends. A 4 year cap was added should a student need to attend a 5th or 6th year or until age 21 and the four class requirement has been met.
- COMAR 13A.03.02.04: The language regarding dual enrollment tuition payment is being updated to reflect the requirement that tuition must be paid as stipulated in the Maryland College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013. A poverty component was addedto reimburse for FARMS students.
- COMAR 13A.03.02.06D: Students who need to meet graduation requirements via the Bridge Plan may do so after just one retest of the Maryland High School Assessments rather than the two retests currently required. Students may still retest more than once if they choose, such as, if they missed the cut score by just a few points.
- COMAR 13A.03.02.06F: This amendment standardizes reporting requirements of students meeting graduation requirements. School systems may no longer report on the student’s performance record the failure of a Maryland HSA, especially if the student successfully completes a Bridge Plan in that assessed area. School systems will now only indicate whether a student “has or has not met all assessment requirements.” They cannot report the option used to achieve the requirement.
- COMAR 13A.03.02.09C: This amendment changes outdated terminology of certificates granted to special education students and replaces it with more meaningful and accurate references to Alternative Academic Achievement Standards. Students with disabilities who attend graduation ceremonies, yet will return to the school (some until age 21) to complete their program will be issued a certificate of something more than “Attendance”. A Certificate of Achievement was suggested.
COMAR 13A.02.06 General Financial Aid to Local School Systems (AMEND)
Ms. Dr. Kathy Oliver, Assistant State Superintendent,Division of Career and College Readiness,presentedan amendment to COMAR that would make permanent the emergency vote taken by the Board in September to allow school districts to claim full term enrollment (FTE) for any student enrolled in the Early College Program. This would allow districts to receive full State Aid for dual enrollment students attending college full time.
SBOE granted permission to publish.
Information and Discussion
PSTEB Proposed Regulatory Amendments
Dr. Jean Satterfield, Assistant State Superintendent of Certification and Accreditation, reported on two regulatory amendments approved by the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board (PSTEB). She explained that these were drafted with the input from a workgroup comprised of local superintendents, human resource officers, higher education faculty and school business officials.
- COMAR 13A.12.04.03: Proposed changes to the certification requirements for a superintendent include:
- Minimum three years of satisfactory teaching experience and two years of satisfactory administrative/supervisory experience in a PreK-12 setting. (Does not have to hold a current teaching certificate – may have lapsed)
- Master’s degree or higher.
- Reduction of post master’s hours from 60 to 24 in a national standards-based content.
- Reciprocity of a superintendent certification from other states.
- COMAR 13A.12.04.02: These changes were proposed for Assistants in Administration and Supervision in non-instructional administrative positions such as in the areas of finance and human resources. Nationally, these positions are tending not to be labeled as “superintendents”, but as Chief Financial Officers, etc. The certification amendment now requires a bachelor’s degree in the appropriate area of responsibility.
- Dr. Lillian Lowery, Maryland State Superintendent, commented that these changes were sorely needed as several recent potential candidates for superintendent positions had difficulties with Maryland’s current regulations. She cited the need for a current teaching certificate when they were known to be excellent educators with more than the minimum experience in the classroom, they had just let it lapse.
Curriculum Update: Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Dr. Henry Johnson,Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum, Assessment & Accountability,briefed the Board on the implementation plan and proposed timeline for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). He cautioned the Board that this was a living document that will be used for structure and guidance, but will change. They were looking to learn from the roll-out of the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards and make implementation improvements.
Ms. Judy Jenkins, Director of Curriculum and Related Professional Development, further explained that the work was done in collaboration with science coordinators from around the state and with our science business and community partners. Workshops were held with higher education science faculty engaged in teacher preparation programs. They are very excited at the direction of the NGSS. The emphasis is that science education must begin with our youngest students.
Ms. Mary Thurlow, Coordinator for Science Programs, provided information regarding the first NGSS Annual Leadership Meeting and highlighted the resulting priority work identified by the MSDE team that attended. The presentation included:
- Establish a high-level broad base coalition of Maryland stakeholders
- Monitor district level implementation through surveys
- Review instructional materials and curriculum using Achieve’s EQuIP Rubric
- Update implementation timeline
Based on a national report published in November of 2013, Ms. Thurlow shared ten main NGSS assessment messages. She stressed that students will have hands-on instruction and will have to show in assessments they can actually do what they are expected to know. Parallels to MSPAP-type tasks were made.
A major point: professional development and adequate support for teachers will be critical.
Comments:
- Dr. John Gates, SBOE member, stated his appreciation that the NGSS and the proposed framework start with the question, “How do people learn?” rather than “How should you teach science?” Also liked that the colleges have been involved already.
- Ms. Linda Eberhart, SBOE member, had four questions:
- Do we need to change certification?
- How is professional development going to look? Glad to hear there is pre-service and teacher prep workshops in higher ed. happening, but would like to see PD in the style of the governor’s biology academy.
- Response: Dr. Johnson- We are taking lessons from the College and Career Readiness rollout; Summer workshops will feature instructional shifts; it’s all about engagement.
- Response: Dr. Lowery- We need to be more deliberate in how the PD is done in the academies. We assumed that the information and materials would be transferred to schools with fidelity. We will need to do a better job in monitoring at the local level.
- Response: Ms. Thurlow- We have three working committees: Elementary is looking at best instructional practices; Middle School is looking at whether to or not to keep the traditional curriculum model; High School is looking at how other states are doing NGSS.
- Where’s the funding coming from? An estimate of over $13million is needed in just Baltimore City.
- Response: Dr. Lowery- At the local level, we need to look at the dollars we already have and how we use this money.
- Response: Dr. Johnson- We need to look at repurposing the funds we have; again learn from previous rollout.
- Concerned about testing. Came from the era of MSPAP, so is happy to hear about a similar format for assessment. But, won’t there be a gap between what older students are capable of doing and what they missed because they were taught with the old curriculum in previous years?
- Response: Dr. Lowery- That’s why we are using a growth model – because we are using a simultaneous roll-out implementation. There is always a debate as to whether we should use a roll-out or a roll-upmodel. We chose the simultaneous roll-out because we know this is better instruction and we want all of our students exposed to these better strategies such as critical thinking.
- Ms. Donna Hill Staton, SBOE member, asked if there was any pushback as there was with Common Core.
- Response: Dr. Lowery- Oh, yes. But we are emphasizing that these are just standards; this is not a curriculum.
- Dr. John Gates, SBOE member, stated it is most important we get that message out: these are just standards, the LEAs determine curriculum; local sensibilities have been respected.
Dr. Henry Johnson, Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum, Assessment & Accountability,introduced the Board to the new College, Career and Civic Life Framework, known as C3. MSDE will seek adoption of the C3 Framework by the State Board at a later date. The framework was developed by the Social Studies Assessment, Curriculum and Instruction Collaborative, where Maryland was one of four lead states out of 23 states participating.
Ms. Judy Jenkins, Director of Curriculum and Related Professional Development, further explained that the goal is to provide instruction to build critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills to become engaged in civic life. Gone are the days of rote memorization.
Dr. Marcy Taylor-Thoma, Coordinator of Social Studies Programs, further explained the four dimensions of the C3 Framework:
- Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries
- Applying Disciplinary Tools and Concepts
- Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence
- Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action
Comments:
- Mr. Christian Hodges, SBOE student member, expressed hope that students will be taught how to evaluate website information and distinguish between fact and opinion. He also expressed concern that the action plans and resulting service projects are not pre-planned and developed by the teachers for students to merely work on; they should be generated, planned and implemented by students.
- Response: The intent is for much more student engagement.
- Ms. Luisa Montero-Diaz, SBOE member, added that when GED students are asked why they dropped out of school, the most consistent theme is that it wasn’t relevant. The C3 Framework is a real way to engage kids.
- Dr. John Gates, SBOE member, wished to echo the comments of Mr. Hodges regarding the internet and the need to distinguish between facts, opinions and entertainment. However, he expressed concerns about the order in which the whole framework to assessment has been developed.
- Dr. Taylor-Thoma responded the curriculum has not changed much; it’s the way it is taught that is changing.
- Dr. Lowery explained that we are looking at the standards from 2004 and asking, are they still relevant; this is all being looked at.
Recognition
Milken National Educator Award Winner
Dr. Strouse, Executive Director,Partnerships and Development,introduced the only Maryland recipient of the Milken National Educator Award for 2013-2014.
- Mark Miazga, an English teacher at Baltimore City College spoke to the Board after a brief video of the surprise announcement at a school assembly attended by Dr. Lowery, Lt Governor Anthony Brown, Mayor Rawlings-Blake, Mike Milken, Founder of the Milken Family Foundation and other dignitaries.
USDE Announces 2014 Green Schools
It was announced on Thursday that two schools from Maryland were named 2014 Green Schools by the United States Department of Education:
- North Carroll High School, Carroll County
- Travilah Elementary School, Montgomery County
Framework for Statewide School Discipline Plan
Dr. Marcie Lamb, Assistant State Superintendent and Dr. Walter Sallee, Executive Directorof the Division of Student, Family and School Support,reported on the status of the statewide school discipline plan and the draft framework for future implementation.
- A brief history was given from the Board commissioned reports on student discipline through the adopted COMAR regulations at the January 28, 2014 SBOE Meeting.
- A proposed presentation timeline was given for future reports and events. The Student Records Manual which provides instructions for school systems to maintain information as required by COMAR will be presented at the June 23, 2014 SBOE Meeting. This document is updated as laws and regulations change.
- The Board was informed that the draft report on Best Practices in Student Discipline presented in February, 2014 is being revised to reflect the specific recommendations and concerns of the Board. The revision will be presented at the July 22, 2014 SBOE Meeting.
- At the July SBOE Meeting, the PBIS Scale Up will be presented.
- The long awaited Maryland Guidelines for a State Code of Discipline will be presented to the Board on September 23, 2014. Upon adoption, LEAs will need to review the document and reflect the guidelines in their policies by the next school year.
- MSDE will work with directors of student services from Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and the Governor’s School Safety Center to develop a Shared Action Plan and determine what resources and technical assistance is needed to support the plan of action.
- Ed Clark, Director of the School Safety Center, is drafting a strategic plan.
- Ms. Linda Eberhart, SBOE member, expressed concern that this seems to be taking so long – especially when dates such as 2015-2016 are given.
- Response: That date is to add reporting student arrest data.
Race to the Top (RTTT) Update
Dr. Thorton-Talley, Chief Performance Officer and Dr. Jean Satterfield, Assistant State Superintendent, Educator Effectiveness gave the SBOE a monthly assessment of the projects included in Maryland’s RTTT program.