Vol. 22, No. 10
May 28, 2010
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INNOVATION SCHOOLS, EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS APPROVED IN CLOSE VOTE
In a 5-4 vote at a special K-12 meeting Thursday, the state Board of Education approved the spiritedly debated educator effectiveness and innovation school systems resolutions. Gov. Bob Riley, ex-officio president of the board, was the swing vote.
The measures open the door for tying teacher and principal effectiveness to student performance and for school systems interested in reprieves from certain state rules, regulations and policies to implement creative approaches to student learning.
Both issues are incorporated into the state’s second application for $175 million of the $4.3 billion in federal Race to the Top funds. That was the Achilles heel for state board members Dr. Mary Jane Caylor and Stephanie Bell, who believe the state was rushing into the reform efforts and not considering the federal strings attached to federal funds. Both say they plan not to support the state’s Phase II application and joined Ella Bell and Betty Peters in voting no to the resolutions. News reports say the Alabama Educators Association will also back out of the state’s effort.
The Innovation School Systems plan specifies local boards that apply for flexibility, if approved, enter a five-year agreement with the state board that comes with increased accountability. Public notice, hearings and sharing of draft plans are required. Participating boards would also submit annual progress reports.
Accountability measures range from graduation rates and standardized test data to performance on college entrance and Advanced Placement exams. Renewals occur if the agreed upon terms are successfully met for two out of three years within the five-year agreement.
The next step is forming a committee to advise the state Department of Education in developing a process for identifying, launching and supporting Innovation School Systems.
The educator effectiveness plan will be vetted through the governor’s Commission on Quality Teaching and Congress on School Leadership. AASB is represented in both groups. Recommendations will be reviewed by the SDE’s recently formed Education Reform and Innovation Council made up of a variety of education professionals and stakeholders.
The committee will define teacher and principal effectiveness and help identify “valid, reliable and objective” measures of student learning, as well as ways to help ineffective educators improve. The goal is enhanced student learning and academic achievement.
The resolution encourages local boards to also use the teacher effectiveness outcomes as a predominant factor in advancing probationary teachers to non-probationary status, not impacting the board’s ability to deny awarding tenure status without stating a specific reason.
After review, recommendations for educator effectiveness go to the state superintendent for submission to the state board in early 2011. If approved, implementation begins in the coming school year.
The state board also met in a work session for K-12 Thursday. Members discussed Alabama’s Phase II Race to the Top Application, which targets college and career readiness and a 90 percent graduation rate by 2015. As of Thursday morning, 100 of the state’s 132 school systems had signed memorandums of understanding in support of the state’s reform efforts. Half of Alabama’s Race to the Top dollars would go to local education agencies.
The Phase II plan also includes Alabama’s steps toward embracing the national common core standards. Alabama participated in the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers effort to develop voluntary common standards for education. Those standards will be released in early June and brought before the state board soon after for its consideration. Alabama’s Phase II application notes plans to offer the standards for board vote in November and to participate in a consortium to develop common assessments. The state’s new application also includes plans for pre-K through higher education data system coordination; teacher incentive pay/bonuses; data-based teacher and principal preparation and professional development; implementing intervention models to turnaround the persistently lowest-achieving schools; engineering academies; and expansion of the state’s math, science and technology initiative, pre-kindergarten and advanced placement. To view the full, draft application, visit http://sites.google.com/site/alabamaracetothetop/ .
Also during the work session, proposed financial procedures for local schools were discussed to serve as a guide for school bookkeepers and other school system finance personnel. The proposed procedures address proper handling of public and non-public funds. There are guidelines for school-related organizations, as well as outlined procedures for school income from such sources as vending machines, fundraising, ticket sales and concessions. The state education department has already begun training school finance personnel on appropriate procedures and plans additional training this summer. The board may consider the procedures at its June 10 meeting.
EDUCATION TRUST FUND UPDATE
Receipts to the Education Trust Fund continue to lag behind the prior year, with a decline of 2.46 percent for the fiscal year through April. There is cautious optimism that further proration of the ETF will be avoided in the current fiscal year. However, it remains to be seen if ETF receipts will be sufficient to fund the level of appropriations in the 2011 FY budget. The 2011 budget contains a growth rate of 1.175 percent and other sources of unguaranteed revenue. Considering the current state of the economy and uncertainty about specific revenue-generating events incorporated into the 2011 budget, there is growing uncertainty regarding the 2011 ETF budget.
DEADLINE TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER CONFERENCE DISCOUNT IS JUNE 4
Many of you have reserved hotel accommodations for the 2010 AASB/ACSBA Summer Conference. Now it’s time to register. Enjoy a pre-registration discount if you complete your registration online at www.AlabamaSchoolBoards.org by June 4. Any registration changes should also be made by that date to avoid penalty.
The Alabama Association of School Boards and Alabama Council of School Board Attorneys conferences offer highly informative sessions. ACSBA gathers for its programming June 13-14. AASB’s Roles and Responsibilities Orientation course for new board members and veterans in need of a refresher on the basics is set for June 12-13.
The main AASB conference offers a variety of speakers and content around its “Build Winning Teams for a Brighter Future” theme from June 13 through June 15. Sessions include Leadership Through the Eyes of a Zebra with NFL referee Walt Coleman; Explore the Connection: Board-Superintendent Relationships & Student Achievement along with Leadership That Improves Achievement and Avoids Micromanaging presented by Dr. Thomas Alsbury of North Carolina State University; and an in-depth look at the board-superintendent relationship and avoiding team conflict.
Keep your board up to date by attending summer conference and hearing the latest information and research about school board/superintendent leadership. Learn how you can build a stronger team that focuses on improving achievement without micromanaging and how your team can work together and avoid unproductive conflict.
Discount accommodations remain at The Island House hotel (800/264-2642) with the AASB block rate of $165 (Sunday-Thursday) and $179 (Friday-Saturday) using group number 2296182. Accommodations are also available at Phoenix Condominiums 6, 7, 8 (just west of the Perdido) with group number 1293816 (call 888/358-1698 for reservations). A waiting list is being held for the nearby conference headquarters, the Perdido Hotel. Contact AASB at 800/562-0601 with questions.
FREE WEBINAR FOR BOARD SECRETARIES
Calling all school board and superintendent secretaries! AASB and strategic partner eBOARDsolutions will provide a free webinar just for you! Learn how to update your profile and the profiles of your school board members and superintendents within AASB's eMEMBERSHIP database. Discover the tricks and tips for registering your board for AASB events and training with ease. As an added bonus, get the latest information about going paperless with your board meetings. The webinar is 10-11 a.m. central time and is available on two dates for your convenience, June 22 or June 30. Register today! Space is limited.
Contact AASB with questions, 800/562-0601 or dhendricks@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.
AASB SURVEY DEADLINE JUNE 1
The Alabama Association of School Boards needs a few minutes of your time. Please take a moment to complete the membership survey online at www.AlabamaSchoolBoards.org/Survey.html by June 1. Those completing the survey by the deadline will be entered into a drawing for FREE REGISTRATION to attend an upcoming AASB Academy Conference. If you would prefer a faxed copy, please contact Donna Norris (dnorris@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org) at 800/562-0601. Your opinion matters!
SUBMIT YOUR CONVENTION CLINIC IDEAS
AASB is searching for the best-kept secrets in Alabama's public schools. If you have an outstanding idea, unique approach or innovative solution to a perplexing problem in education, tell school board members across the state! Submit a proposal online at www.AlabamaSchoolBoards.org to present a clinic session on Dec. 3 during AASB’s Annual Convention at the Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham. Topics might include programs that have a proven record for improving student achievement, effective board leadership and governance practices, navigating legal issues or using the latest technology to engage students in the classroom. Contact AASB for details at Angela.Ing@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org or 800/562-0601. Proposals are due May 29.
FEELING SOCIAL? CONNECT WITH AASB
Stay on top of the latest education news and AASB information by connecting with us via Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/alaschoolboards), Twitter (http://twitter.com/AlaSchoolBoards) or taking advantage of our free iPhone/Blackberry smart phone application (search for BoardCast at the iTunes store). Make sure AASB has your most recent contact information, as well, by asking your board secretary to update your member profile in AASB’s eMEMBERSHIP database. To find out more, visit www.AlabamaSchoolBoards.org or send an e-mail to info@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.
Special thanks to AASB’s business partners, eBOARDsolutions, Inc. and High Ground Solutions, Inc. To learn more or to schedule your free webinar or demonstration, contact AASB at info@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.
— Denise L. Berkhalter,
publicrelations@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org
Alabama Association of School Boards:
Developing excellent school board leaders through quality training, advocacy and services.
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