Committee Report | September 2012

Report of

REGENTS P-12 EDUCATION COMMITTEE

to

The Board of Regents

September 11, 2012

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

ACTION ITEMS

Charter Schools

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that the proposed revised charter: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the charter revision for Harlem Success Academy Charter School for purposes of merging the School’s education corporation and governing board into Harlem Success Academy Charter School 3, including a change of name to "Success Academy Charter School - Harlem 1," and it is further recommended that the merger of Harlem Success Academy Charter School into Harlem Success Academy Charter School 3, with Harlem Success Academy Charter School 3 as the surviving education corporation, is approved. [P-12 (A) 1]

ESEA Flexibility

Your Committee recommends that the addition of section 100.18, and amendment of subdivision (m) of section 100.2 and sections 100.17, 120.3 and 120.4, of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, which was adopted by the Board of Regents as an emergency action on June 18, 2012, effective July 1, 2012, and for which a Notice of Emergency Adoption and Proposed Rule Making was published in the State Register on July 3, 2012 (EDU-27-12-00011-EP), is repealed, effective September 11, 2012, and it is further recommended that section 100.18 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is added, subdivision (m) of section 100.2 is amended, subparagraph (i) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of section 100.17 is amended, and sections 120.3 and 120.4 are amended, as submitted, effective September 11, 2012, as an emergency action upon a finding by the Board of Regents that such action is necessary for the preservation of the general welfare in order to immediately revise the proposed rule to respond to public comment, so that school districts may timely meet school/school district accountability requirements for the 2012-13 school year and beyond, consistent with New York State’s approved Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility Request and pursuant to statutory requirements, and to otherwise ensure that the emergency rule adopted at the June Regents meeting, as so revised, remains continuously in effect until it can be presented and made effective as a permanent rule.

[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 September 11, 2012, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Global History and Geography – The Committee discussed a recommendation to divide the current Global History and Geography course into two units of study with two separate exams.  The first unit of study would provide students with foundational skills in Economics, Geography, World History, and Civics and would culminate in an end-of-course exam (a Regents exam, pending availability of funding).  The second unit of study would build on this foundation to enable students to become critical thinkers and access the content by examining cross cultural themes and patterns during the modern time period.  This second unit of study would culminate in a Regents exam required for graduation, beginning as early as 2013-14.  This exam would provide the appropriate rigor for college and career readiness.  The Board directed staff to begin development of proposed amendments to regulations to require two units of study in Global History and Geography and to ensure that field input was gathered and considered in development of the regulations.    [P-12 (D) 1]

Alternate Credential for Students who Formerly Earned IEP Diploma – The Committee discussed recommendations that would allow the Department to begin development of a commencement credential for students with disabilities who are unable to earn a high school diploma.  Discussion focused on the core principles, eligibility requirements, activities related to work and career preparation and required documentation that would be necessary to acquire this credential.  The Committee recommended that the Department seek public comment on the proposed policy and begin development of regulations to be brought back to the Regents in December. 

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

• Dignity Act Regulations relating to reporting requirements, instruction and school employee training.
• Appointments to the NYS School for the Deaf Board of Visitors.
• Charter School regulations relating to delegation of authority for certain charter school hearings.

September 10, 2012