Report of Regents P-12 Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Your P-12 Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on January 9, 2017.  All members were present, except for Regent Cea, who was excused.

ACTION ITEMS

Renewal Decisions for Charter Schools Authorized by the Board of Regents [P-12 (A) 2]
Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that, the Young Women's College Preparatory Charter School of Rochester: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application 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 this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of the Young Women's College Preparatory Charter School of Rochester and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2019.  Regent Collins abstained; Regent Reyes opposed.

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that, the Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application 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 this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of the Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2019.  Regent Collins abstained.

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that, the Mott Hall Charter School: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application 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 this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of the Mott Hall Charter School and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2019. Regent Collins abstained.

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that, the Global Community Charter School: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application 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 this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of the Global Community Charter School and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2019.  Regent Collins abstained.

Committee members requested that charter school corrective action plans be made available to them.

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 January 10, 2017, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent. 

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

School Health Services [P-12 (D) 1] – the Committee discussed proposed amendments to regulations that seek to address numerous requests from the field, including parents, healthcare providers, schools, and the Department of Health, for technical amendments and updates to existing regulatory language to improve school health services for students. The Committee requested that school nurses receive this information, as well as the School Nurses Association.  It is anticipated that the proposed rule will be presented to the Board of Regents for permanent adoption at the April 2017 Regents meeting.

Career and Technical Education Update [P-12 (D) 2] – the Committee was provided with an update on what currently exists and opportunities for future expansion and access of high quality Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.  CTE programs offer students a number of benefits and graduation options as they pursue post-high school education and career interests. The structure in high schools for this is high quality state-approved CTE programs. Discussion focused on the sixteen national and State career clusters and the CTE program approval process. The Department’s CTE office continues to follow program and labor trends at the national level, as well as observing models such as P-TECH, which began in NYS, that could provide greater access to high quality CTE program opportunities for all students. Collaboration with other SED offices and CTE stakeholders on teacher certification, assessment and data is critical work that must continue.

Consent Agenda

The Board of Regents will take action on the following consent agenda item at their January 10, 2017 meeting.

• Proposed regulations to Implement Chapter 105 of the Laws of 2016 To Require that Every Public School and Charter School Post the Child Abuse Hotline Telephone Number and Provide Directions to Access the New York State Office of Children and Family Services Website.