SOL INNOVATION COMMITTEE

4. 13. 16

  • Secretary Holton – budget, legislative update
  • Delegate Bulova – high school redesign: GA took leap of faith to remove some mandates and turn over to BOE; Del Robinson – sponsored bill directing students into work force via community colleges; Senator Deeds–Senator Miller had education at top of his list as well as reform since beginning of his legislative career and will be sorely missed.
  • Diane Atkinson – chair of BOE Accountability Committee. Members realize SOA needs a more comprehensive review. Concentrating now on Profile of Grad. Will look at need for possible waivers re: innovation in high school redesign. Will talk to colleges re: what they want in student resume. BOE Retreat in May to center on Profile. Will meet with principals, etc. A draft to be sent out from BOE will begin conversation re: graduation requirements.
  • Feedback from Innovation Committee members:
  1. Some divisions are much further along re: innovation, assessment (funding).
  2. Profile should be woven into standards. Trim standards down. Promote joy of exploration, experiments, experiences beyond core content = need for more time, fewer standards. Are students completing math and science too early and therefore not prepared for pre-college testing?
  3. May be wasting finance course on sophomores (move up one year).
  4. Most schools focus on content knowledge.
  5. Need increased opportunities for community service.
  6. Focus should be on working on teams, problem solving, etc.
  7. Need more time for electives. (econ and personal finance course should not be listed as “elective”)
  8. Need to be flexible with paths students choose initially; multiple entry and re-entry plans considered for those who change their minds.
  9. High schoolredesign must lead to middle school and elementary redesign (Diane Atkinson acknowledged that and said that is BOE plan).
  10. Need to check current SOL for relevancy to existing careers (i.e., science – needs link into our curriculum)
  11. Integration of career and college prep, “life ready”
  12. Rethink model that continues to reflect courses and course credits to more innovative options.
  13. Need more school counselors. Students need more individual attention.
  14. Don’t rush implementation – professional development critical.
  15. Partnerships and internships must be available for ALL students, not just those in schools that have the funding.
  16. Recognize that it takes time to set up internships – need more personnel to monitor, create relationships, etc.
  17. Align state systems with new standards so they will connect.
  18. Build learning systems that encourage risk-taking for students and teachers.
  19. Teacherevaluation – 40% on content knowledge; to really teach autonomy, teachers. need more autonomy.
  20. Career ready – should mean success beyond high school.
  21. Community engagement – importance of volunteering (environmental causes, for example).
  • ESSA–Acting Director, DOE – Lynn _____?

What we know about ESSA:

  1. Amended NCLB of 2001 (failing schools = those in poverty; staffs demoralized; non-tested subjects marginalized)
  2. VA far ahead of many states since have had functional accountability system for 20 yrs.
  3. Most title program will continue, testing still mandated; must still disaggregate via subgroups, must intervene in low achieving schools (bottom 5%)
  4. ’16-’17 funding will remain under ESEA.
  5. ESEA flexibilitywaivers expire Aug 2016.
  6. USED will take feedback on ESSA, create regs, and send out guidance docs to states.
  7. Relief in transition yr – AMO’s do not have to be calculated for 14-15 or 15-16 but pass rates must still be reported. Highly qualified phrase goes away. Teacher and paraprofessional requirements for 16-17 and beyond replaced by state licensure and endorsement requirements HOWEVER rigorous state requirements still in place.
  8. Accountability plan – matrix of indicators to determine federal accountability, both academic (state assessment, graduation rates, ELL progress, etc.) and school quality and student engagement – such as advanced course work, school climate/safety, etc.
  9. Subgroups – maintains reporting and disaggregation for all students and subgroups
  10. ELL acct – (ELs = English learners). Under Title I plan. Can now be included in subgroup after 4 yrs of completing English.
  11. Report cards – will look same except not required to report AMO target met. 17-18 – add reporting of military, homeless, migrant, gender.
  12. Not real regs re: assessment yet (may be summative, computer adaptive, periodic, etc.)
  13. Local assessments generally not allowed but may permit nationally recognized assessment in lieu of state assessment.
  14. School improvement: transition yr for priority schools (lowest 5%); focus schools – next 10%. Either A. freeze list or B.' identify new schools. VA – chose Option B
  15. Will not add to Title I schools’ list in 16-17.
  16. Must identify high schools graduating fewer than 67% of students.
  17. Identify subgroups consistently underperforming.
  18. Highly qualified title eliminated as of Aug 1 ’16 (see supts memo); HOWEVER, state requires proper licensure and endorsement.

Questions: Without AMO, how do we evaluate schools? Answer: VA will develop plan.

– email questions

  • Update from Joint Subcommittee of Innovation Committee (VASSP’s Brian Matney noted as member of small group that drafted recommendations.) (included great graphic for high school graduate)

This group worked on system of moving change together – profile of grad (college, career, citizenship); (car won’t go at all if all parts don’t move together); can’t cherry pick change in one area and expect others to come along. Must understand core of what we’re doing so teaching and learning can occur. Systems and conditions must work together. If you have 14-16 yrs of SOL, that’s what you know. Need to give time to teachers for assessment literacy.

Professional excellence – differentiation needed.

PD must precede implementation; teachers will be fearful of taking risks if they know they will be judged immediately.