THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:	EMSC-VESID Committee
FROM:	James A. Kadamus
SUBJECT:	Proposed Amendment to Commissioner’s Regulations Relating to the Use of Superintendents’ Conference Days
DATE:	July 29, 2005
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision

 

Should the Board of Regents approve the proposed amendment to section 175.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner relating to the use of superintendents’ conference days?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

Review of Policy.

Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the EMSC-VESID Committee on September 8, 2005.

 

Procedural History

 

The proposed amendment was first discussed by the EMSC-VESID Committee in June.  At that time, no consensus was reached on the intent of the proposed amendment.  After additional consultation with the field, Department staff proposed a revision to the draft regulatory language in July.  The Committee asked staff to inform the field of its intent to approve the proposed amendment in September. 

 

Background Information

 

Section 175.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner specifies the appropriate use of staff development activities by school districts to advance implementation of the new high learning standards and assessments and to satisfy deficiencies in the length of public school sessions for the instruction of pupils.  The purpose of the proposed amendment to Section 175.5 is to permit a school district to use up to two of the allowed four superintendents' conference days provided for in Education Law section 3604(8) for teacher training and rating of State assessments, including grades 3-8 assessments required under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.  These assessments are new to all schools and teachers.  They will contain unique test designs and item formats that will be exclusive to the New York State testing program.  Teachers will require training for rating these tests for the first two school years (2005-06 and 2006-07) of implementation to ensure that test reliability and validity are achieved on a statewide basis.  Such training enables teachers to better understand the new learning standards and assessments, as authorized by Education Law section 3604(8).  The proposed amendment includes a sunset provision for June 30, 2007.  The State Education Department will evaluate the progress on training of teachers and the scoring by teachers for the new 3-8 assessments during the first two school years and report to the Board of Regents on whether this amendment to the regulations should be extended.

 

Recommendation

 

VOTED:  That subdivision (f) of section 175.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be amended as submitted, effective September 29, 2005,

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

The proposed amendment will become effective on September 29, 2005 and sunset on June 30, 2007.

AMENDMENT OF THE REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION

Pursuant to Education Law sections 101, 207 and 3604

          Subdivision (f) of section 175.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is amended, effective September 29, 2005, as follows:

(f) Use of superintendents' conference days. 

(1)  .   .   .

(2)  .   .   .

(3)  .   .   .

(4)  Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subdivision, during the period commencing on September 29, 2005 and ending on June 30, 2007, a school district may elect to use up to two of its superintendents’ conference days in each school year for teacher rating of State assessments, including but not limited to assessments required under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law section 107-110), which rating activities shall constitute staff development relating to implementation of the new high learning standards and assessments as authorized by section 3604(8) of the Education Law.