Committee Report | December 2012

Report of

REGENTS P-12 EDUCATION COMMITTEE

to

The Board of Regents

December 11, 2012

Your P-12 Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on December 10, 2012.  All members were present, except for Regent Norwood, who was excused.

ACTION ITEMS

Initial Applications and Charters Authorized by the Board of Regents
Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to the Math, Engineering, and Science Academy (MESA) Charter School for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.  Your Committee further recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues a charter and provisional charter to Newburgh Preparatory Academy Charter School for a term of five years in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.   [P-12 (A) 1]

2013 Regulatory Agenda
Your Committee recommends that the 2013 Regulatory Agenda for the State Education Department be approved, as submitted.  [P-12 (A) 2]

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD


Madam Chancellor and Colleagues: Your P-12 Education Committee recommends, and we move, that the Board of Regents act affirmatively upon each recommendation in the written report of the Committee's deliberations at its meeting on December 11, 2012, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

3-12 Comprehensive Assessment Overview – the Committee was presented with an update on the Grades 3-8 ELA and Math Common Core Assessments.  Discussion focused on the shifts in the assessments and the issues around the cost of providing computer based assessments vs. continuing to offer paper/pencil assessments.  The Committee also looked at how the questions on the old tests compare to the new, more rigorous questions.  Timelines for both the Common Core Assessments and the PARCC assessments were also discussed.

Career Skills Credential for Students with Disabilities – The Committee discussed proposed amendments to regulations that would authorize school districts and nonpublic schools to award a Career Skills Credential to a student with a disability to document his/her high school preparation for entry level employment.  The credential could be awarded as a supplement to a regular high school diploma or, for a student with a disability who is unable to earn a regular diploma, as the student’s exiting credential.  The credential would not be considered a regular high school diploma in accordance with State standards or for federal accountability purposes and a student with a disability who exited school with this credential continues to be eligible for a free appropriate public education until the end of the school year in which the student turns age 21 or until the receipt of a regular high school diploma, whichever shall occur first.  The proposed amendment will be presented for approval at the March 2013 meeting.  [P-12 (D) 1]

Federal Budget and Legislative Priorities – The Committee discussed the federal budget and legislative priorities that will be advanced in the 2013 legislative session. [P-12 (D) 2]

CTE Pathway and Advisory Panel Update – The Committee was provided with an update on the preliminary findings of the CTE Content Advisory Panel.  Committee members made suggestions on targeting high level CTE courses and mapping out where those high quality programs are around the State.  The Committee recommends that the Board direct the Panel to finalize recommendations for supporting multiple pathways towards college and career readiness including career-focused integrated courses and programs.  The Panel will meet again on December 14, 2012. Staff will present proposed regulatory language to support a CTE instructional continuum at the January 2013 meeting.  [P-12 (D) 3]

Consent Agenda Items - The Committee discussed the following items scheduled for approval on the Full Board consent agenda:

• Petition of the Ogdensburg City School District for Consent to Exceed the Constitutional Debt Limit.
• Special Education regulations relating to additional parent member on the Committee on Special Education (CSE) membership and electronic IEP dissemination.

December 11, 2012