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View from the Capitol Patrice A. McCarthy

CABE Day on the Hill March to the Capitol

Deputy Director/General Counsel, CABE

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: CABE is very excited to begin itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new series on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Practices that Lead and Inspireâ&#x20AC;? Please send us your Best Practices and we might publish them in the CABE Journal. This month we are highlighting â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

New Britain

Program Category: Advocacy/ Community Engagement/Communication/ Curriculum/Student Achievement/Finance Program Title: New Britain Academy of Health Professions (NBAHP) and Academy of Finance (AOF) at New Britain High School

Grants awarded to assess assessments â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are really hoping this big, deep look at assessments will help districts redo their district assessment plans, but also we really hope it will help them weed the garden and get rid of some of these standardized assessment products that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve purchased over the years,â&#x20AC;? said Wentzell. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It may be not giving them the benefit that they had hoped for or may be outdated or no longer aligned.â&#x20AC;?

A seasoned veteran of Connecticut education, Wentzell noted that she has seen a testing industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which â&#x20AC;&#x153;inundatesâ&#x20AC;? local school systems with promises of better student performance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; take shape over the years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have seen this evolve over time; there is a whole testing industry that inundates districts with, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If you purchase this product, your kids will do better on the state testsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sort of approaches,â&#x20AC;? she explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes this has really been driving a sort of test preparation mentality over the years and it takes away from time kids and teachers can be spending on rich instructional experiences and we would See CABE page 14

The Policy Corner

2015 CABE/CAPSS Convention

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Program Description: The New Britain Academy of Health Professions and the Academy of Finance are collaborative efforts between industry partners, community partners and the Consolidated School District of New Britain.

Both of these programs provide opportunities for students to earn college credit and job shadow in specific content areas while in high school.

The Health Academy curriculum provides students with opportunities to explore the healthcare service industry and to develop up-to-date skills and the knowledge-based needed for certification in a variety of healthcare occupations upon graduation from high school The Academy of Finance is part of the National Academy Foundation network.

The AOF curriculum is â&#x20AC;&#x153;vetted by partners working in financial services and business sectors, and emphasizes literacy and project-based learning to engage students.â&#x20AC;? A large component of the AOF model incorporates a sequential learning plant of work-based experiences that lead to a compensated internship. More information is available at: www.csdnb.org Program Contact Information: Sondra Sanford, CTE Department Chair, 860-225-6300, sanfords@csdnb.org.

CABE Day on the Hill

Email and FOIA

of Boards of Education Inc. Connecticut Association

Thanks to over $400,000 in grant money from the Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE), 48 Connecticut school systems are currently in the process of assessing their assessments.

In late February, SDE distributed grants that it says â&#x20AC;&#x153;will help districts spend less time on testing students and more time on teaching.â&#x20AC;?

In all, $428,253 went to 48 districts as part of the Assessment Reduction Grant Program, which Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced in September, according to an SDE press release; districts received awards up to $10,000 each.

Winning districts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which include Avon, Wallingford, Hamden, North

Haven and Portland â&#x20AC;&#x201C; must complete an inventory of their assessments by June 30, 2015, according to the SDE. Districts can utilize an assessment inventory tool developed by Washington DC-based Achieve â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is â&#x20AC;&#x153;devoted to improving the rigor and clarity of the process of standard-setting and testingâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or utilize another inventory, such as one developed by their district. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are really excited about this opportunity for districts to receive these grants to help them reduce testing time in their districts,â&#x20AC;? Interim Commissioner of Education Dr. Dianna R. Wentzell told The CABE Journal.

Wentzell explained that the grants give districts the opportunity to â&#x20AC;&#x153;weed the gardenâ&#x20AC;? when it comes to the assessments they are currently giving their students.

81 Wolcott Hill Road Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242

Reporter, CABE

Spotlighting Best Practices that Lead and Inspire:

The state budget will remain the largest issue during the final month of the 2015 legislative session. As legislators struggle to restore funding for many social service programs that were reduced or eliminated, it will be important for board members and superintendents to continue their advocacy in support of maintaining public education funding.

The appointment of Dianna R. Wentzel as Commissioner of Education, a See VIEW page 4

Chirs Seymour

MAY 2015

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Periodical Postage PAID Hartford, CT

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015 PRESIDENT COMMENTARY

Are public schools more segregated now?

Sixty-one years ago this month the United States Supreme Court decided the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case making segregation policies in public schools unconstitutional. The Brown case effectively overturned the Plessy vs. Ferguson ruling of 1896 which stated, in so many words, that separate but equal was constitutional.

So, with some of the recent events in the news, I wondered where does this country stand 61 years after Brown. Sadly, it would appear that our public schools are more segregated today than ever. Our neighborhoods are more segregated, at least in part, because of federal, state, and local governments past and present red-lining policies, (pro publica 10/29/12).

Richard D. Kahlenberg, Editor of “The Future of School Integration, Socioeconomic Diversity as an

“. . . less interaction breeds ignorance and ignorance breeds stupid false stereotypes, which more often than not, lead to intolerance.”

Education Reform Strategy” states that 95% of Education Reform today is still trying to make “separate but equal” work.

His belief is that communities need to create, with incentives, better zoning policies to reduce geographic segregation and then replace the current system with “common” schools, a la Horace Mann.

The Project Director of The Union of Minority Neighborhoods opines that “integration cannot solve the larger problems of racial and socioeconomic inequity or deliver equity in an increasingly inequitable nation”. She is concerned that “if school integration is held to such a standard it will always fall short”.

Past CABE/CAPSS Convention speaker, Pedro Noguera, says that school segregation is a byproduct of residential segregation and has given those “who never supported integration in the first place a means to rationalize the status quo as a matter of ‘residential preference’ ”, a term used recently by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Quite a contrast to the Supreme Court of 1954, in my opinion.

I have assumed that with the increased acceptance of same sex marriage and LGBTQ rights largely driven by

millennials and young people, racial issues and tensions could fade, as well.

So, I was disturbed by the recent fraternity bus video in Oklahoma showing young Richard Murray people chanting ugly racist rants.

A PBS NewsHour report on March 24, 2015 titled “The Hidden Racism of Young White Americans” totally disaffirmed my assumptions. The graphs and data contained in the report suggest that racist views are actually increasing among young white people. Isn’t education supposed to reduce these abhorrent views?

Well here’s my theory on why this is happening: unlike LGBTQ issues in this countrywhere most millennials know someone or has a family member who has had to confront issues of their sexuality and become more tolerant of others, America’s neighborhoods and schools have become more separate and clearly more segregated in the last 10 years based on skin color and economic disparities.

In my opinion, less interaction breeds ignorance and ignorance breeds stupid false stereotypes, which more often than not, lead to intolerance. Iam reminded of a quote from an earlier “president’s commentary” where I quoted Walter Dean Myers, “...if we continue to neglect white children by not exposing them to any aspect of other racial and ethnic experiences in a meaningful way we will have a next racial crisis.”

Connecticut, unlike most other states, is bucking this trend, according to the Civil Rights Project in Los Angeles, thanks to Sheff v. O’Neill and the state’s magnet schools. 1 in 14 of our students attended one of the state’s 84 magnet schools this year. According to the report all schools in Stamford and Norwalk were multiracial, 41% in Bridgeport, 24% in Danbury were also multiracial. The report also notes that these magnet schools show “very high levels of achievement”.

It is very encouraging to see Connecticut’s progress. It is clearly time for the rest of the country to have another Brown vs. Board of Education awakening.

Deputy Director and General Counsel Patrice McCarthy (right) and Senior Staff Associate for Government Relations Shelia McKay (left) held a webinar updating members on the Legislative Session on April 1. It c an be found archived at www.cabe.org/ cf_media/index.cfm?g=91

Mission: To assist local and regional boards of education in providing high quality education for all Connecticut children through effective leadership.

Vision: CABE is passionate about strengthening public education through high-performing, transformative local school board/superintendent leadership teams that inspire success for each child.

CABE Board of Directors EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Richard Murray .................................................. President, Killingly Ann Gruenberg ................................. First Vice President, Hampton Robert Mitchell ................ VP for Government Relations, Montville Elaine Whitney ........... VP for Professional Development, Westport John Prins ......................................... Secretary/Treasurer, Branford Lydia Tedone ............................................ Immediate Past President Donald Harris ........................................................ Member at Large

AREA DIRECTORS Daniel Gentile ......................................... Area 1 Director, Plymouth Susan Karp ................................... Area 2 Co-Director, Glastonbury Donald Harris ................................. Area 2 Co-Director, Bloomfield Laura Bush ................................................. Area 3 Director, Vernon Douglas Smith ........................................ Area 4 Director, Plainfield Andrea Veilleux ................................ Area 6 Co-Director, Stratford Jennifer Dayton ............................. Area 6 Co-Director, Greenwich Roxane McKay ............................. Area 7 Co-Director, Wallingford John Prins ......................................... Area 7 Co-Director, Branford Lon Seidman ................................................. Area 8 Director, Essex Andrea Ackerman ..................................... Area 9 Director, Groton

ASSOCIATES Eileen Baker .............................................. Associate, Old Saybrook Sharon Beloin-Saavedra .............................. Associate, New Britain Gary Brochu .......................................................... Associate, Berlin Robert Guthrie .............................................. Associate, West Haven Robert Trefry ........... Associate, CT Technical High School System COMMITTEE CHAIRS Elizabeth Brown ......................... Chair, State Relations, Waterbury Donald Harris ......................... Chair, Federal Relations, Bloomfield Becky Tyrrell ...................................... Chair, Resolutions, Plainville

CITY REPRESENTATIVES Jacqueline Kelleher ....................... City Representative, Bridgeport Matthew Poland ................................ City Representative, Hartford Carlos Torre .................................. City Representative, New Haven Polly Rauh ........................................ City Representative, Stamford Charles Stango ............................... City Representative, Waterbury

STAFF Robert Rader ....................................................................... Executive Director Patrice McCarthy .................................. Deputy Director and General Counsel Bonnie Carney ............................................ Sr. Staff Associate for Publications Nicholas Caruso ............................................ Sr. Staff Assoc. for Field Service and Coord. of Technology Sheila McKay ............................. Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations Kelly Moyher ......................................................................... Sr. Staff Attorney Vincent Mustaro ..................................... Sr. Staff Associate for Policy Service Lisa Steimer .............................. Sr. Staff Assoc. for Professional Development Teresa Costa .................................. Coordinator of Finance and Administration Pamela Brooks ......................... Sr. Admin. Assoc. for Policy Ser. /Search Ser. Terry DeMars ............................................... Admin. Assoc. for Policy Service Gail Heath ........................................ Admin. Assoc. for Government Relations Wilmarie Newton ........................................ Admin. Assoc. for Labor Relations Denise Roberts .................................... Admin. Asst. for Membership Services Corliss Ucci .................................. Receptionist/Asst. to the Executive Director

The CABE Journal (ISSN 1092-1818) is published monthly except a combined issue for July/August as a member service of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, 81 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109, (860) 571-7446. CABE membership dues include $30 per person for each individual who receives The CABE Journal. The subscription rate for nonmembers is $75. Association membership dues include a subscription for each board member, superintendent, assistant superintendent and business manager. The companies and advertisements found in The CABE Journal are not necessarily endorsed by CABE. “Periodicals Postage Paid at Hartford, CT.” POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The CABE Journal, CABE, 81 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242. Email: bcarney@cabe.org.

Members can find the CABE Journal online at: www.cabe.org/ userlogin.cfm?pp=84&userrequest=true&keyrequest=false& userpage=84

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May

2015

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY

CABE Affiliate Members BUSINESS AFFILIATES DIAMOND MEMBER Finalsite GOLD MEMBERS

Advanced Corporate Networking dba. Digital BackOffice Berchem, Moses & Devlin Centris Group Guidance Counselors for Senior Teachers Pullman & Comley Shipman & Goodwin SILVER MEMBERS Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Arthur J. Gallagher & Company Corporate Cost Control Milliman, Inc. Milone & MacBroom, Inc. Perkins & Eastman Siegel, O’Connor, O’Donnell & Beck The Segal Company BRONZE PLUS MEMBERS BL Companies Friar Associates Goldstein & Peck, P.C. Milone & MacBroom Morganti Group O & G Industries The S/L/A/M Collaborative Trane BRONZE MEMBERS Brown & Brown Insurance Chinni & Meuser LLC Dattco Inc. Fuller & D’Angelo Architects and Planners JCJ Architecture Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C. The Lexington Group Muschell & Simoncelli Ovations Benefits Group Suisman Shapiro Attorneys at Law

EDUCATIONAL AFFILIATES American School for the Deaf Area Cooperative Educational Services Capitol Region Education Council The College Board Connecticut Association of School Business Officials Connecticut Center for School Change Connecticut School Buildings and Grounds Association Cooperative Educational Services EASTCONN EDUCATION CONNECTION LEARN Unified School District #1

A good culture starts with the board When you enter one of the schools in Now, I understand that school districts your district are you greeted in a warm, are very different than corporations. The friendly manner? Are you met by someformer operate under strict rules, whether one who really cares about first impresthey be from the Federal or State governsions? ments, collective bargaining agreements, How districts relate to visitors to their tight budgets and any one of a myriad of schools, whether board members, parents, influences that shape local government. the media or others, will often indicate the They have a different mission than culture of the schools they are operating. making money.

Being greeted by a warm welcome helps But, even operating within these even those arriving at the schools with constructs, districts, led by their school concerns feel more positive about the boards and superintendents, can create the Robert Rader school and, probably how you will treat type of school district every parent wants work, how it is viewed by the community your students. their child to attend and every candidate and the message that the board might In reading Fortune Magazine’s March for a teaching position wants to work. want to be sending to the community.

15 issue, which focused on The 100 Best There is solitary action that a board or There is no one issue Companies to Work that determines the For, I was struck by “Fortune said that the 100 Best culture, but even issues how these successful like whether board companies were able to ‘focus on four elements of culture members sit together by attract the best employthat make the most difference: party or by friendships ees in their fields and can help dictate the way keep them.

Mission. . .Colleagues. . .Trust . . .Caring . . .’ the culture is perceived While you might and how well the board have heard about how Think about how these issues works together.

Google (Number 1 of might apply in your district. . .”

Building relationships is the 100), for example, a critical part of the provides its employees equation, just as it is at Google. When we with “gourmet quality food all day long” superintendent can take to develop a work with a district, we try very hard to as well as free gyms, massages and other wonderful culture in a district, or even a encourage the development of good, terrific benefits, according to the author, school. If thoughtfully done, however, a ongoing, communication between board Geoff Colvin, “knockout perks aren’t the board can, over time, develop the type of members… not only polite and civil reason any company makes the list.” culture that helps build community conversations but, also, honest and frank.

They make the list of great workplaces support, as well as increase student No, you do not need to be because the companies have an “essence, achievement. “besties” with other board members, but an indispensable quality that determines So, where do you start? Obviously, your credibility and ability to move your its character.” Great companies try to most boards have developed a culture concerns forward are dependent on good build their organizations around that over time. This can be good… or, not so communication. quality. good.

Fortune said that the 100 Best “focus Google does not merely provide great We know from the Lighthouse Study perks, it also uses them in ways that are that boards which believe that all students on four elements of culture that make the most difference: aimed at a specific company goal: can learn and that there must be high • Mission: when all are pursuing a building relationships within the comexpectations for all adults in the system, mission they believe in, relationpany. develop a positive tone for the district that ships get stronger; Chairs in Google’s dining rooms are will flow down through the superintendent • Colleagues: the best people want to close together. Cafeteria lines are deand other administrators, to teachers and go where the best people are; signed to lead employees to spend three all others in the district, especially • Trust: show people that you or four minutes waiting for their food. students. consider them trustworthy, and Why? Because Google, recognizing it Thus the Board is in a key position to they’ll generally prove you right; is a huge company, wants to encourage its start the ball rolling on developing the and employees to speak to each other and type of culture that will promote the • Caring: A true culture of caring develop “numerous, rewarding” relationdistrict’s goals. goes beyond perks and includes ships across disciplines.

Who begins this conversation? While daily behavior”.

So, if this “geek-infested” [my words] there is no right answer, generally the Thinking about how these issues might company has found a way to help its board chair, working with other board apply in your district can help set you on employees develop relationships, leading members, can start this discussion. a path to building a strong culture, just as to greater productivity (and, of course, Getting the rest of the board’s support, profits), aren’t there lessons any school not merely acquiescence, will help get the it did with the 100. And, the dividends will pay off for your board, your staff and, board can use? buy-in needed to change the culture. most importantly, your students.

What Google and the other 99 compaWhat kind of issues are part of the [Editor’s Note: There are many exnies have realized is that in order to culture of the board? Certainly issues of amples of “best practices” when it comes survive and thrive, they need to develop a culture for the board include how meetto building a culture on a board. If you culture that employees recognize and, ings are run and how board members have any that have worked well in your frankly, help promote. Building a positive address each other, members of the public district, please let us know, as we conculture is one key to a successful district, and school employees have direct tinue to put a “Spotlight on Connecticut implications for how the board does its just like it is for a successful company.

Practices that Lead and Inspire”.]

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015

The Policy Corner Vincent A. Mustaro, Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE

Policy direction required for sexual abuse and education program The 2014 General Assembly passed Public Act 14-196, “An Act Concerning a State-Wide Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness Program,” which was signed into law. Connecticut became one of fifteen states that have passed what is known as “Erin’s Law.” Similar legislation is being considered in many other states.

Erin’s Law is the work of advocate and author Erin Merryn, a victim of sexual abuse beginning at the age of six and lasting until she was thirteen.

Merryn has become the public face of the often silent childhood sexual abuse epidemic.

Statistics point out the severity of the epidemic. One in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of eighteen. The largest number of sexually abused children is between the ages of eight and eleven years old. Children with disabilities are four times more likely to be abused. In addition, once a child has been abused they are at an increased risk of being abused again.

In January 2010, she began the process of advocating for enactment of a law requiring sexual abuse education and awareness in her home state of Illinois. The Illinois measure became law in January 2013. Since that time, Merryn has been on a crusade to see Erin’s Law adopted in all states.

Connecticut’s legislation is part of the nationwide trend in the adoption of “Erin’s Law,” which strives to stop childhood sexual abuse through awareness. Erin’s Law requires that all public schools implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program which teaches:

1. students age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and to tell a trusted adult; 2. school personnel all about child sexual abuse; and 3. parents and guardians the warning signs of child sexual abuse, plus needed assistance, referral or resource information to support sexually abused children and their families.

Public Act 14-196 requires, by July 1, 2015, the Department of Children and Families (DCF), together with the Department of Education (SDE) and Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Inc., or a similar organization, to identify or develop a statewide sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program for use by local boards of education. School boards must implement the program by October 1, 2015.

Policy Implications The Connecticut law became effective on July 1, 2014. The current 20142015 school year is viewed as a planning and development year, both in terms of program development and model policy development. DCF and its assisting agencies, as previously described, is responsible for the development of a statewide sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program by July 1, 2015.

Local districts are required to implement such a program by October 1, 2015. Local boards of education are further required to adopt and implement a uniform sexual abuse and assault response policy containing the items previously described.

The CABE Policy Service has completed the research phase of developing a new model policy pertaining to this important issue. The purpose of the model policy is to provide districts with a blueprint for creating a comprehensive and effective response for a sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program.

The locally adopted policy should contain language pertaining to the district’s intent to implement the statewide sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program for teachers and students by October 1, 2015.

The new policy, codified as #5145.511, “Sexual Abuse Prevention and Education Program,” and its accompanying administrative regulation and a sample “Opt-Out” form are available upon request. The sample policy and administrative regulation utilize the reporting procedure contained in existing policy #5141.4, “Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse,” because it is believed that child sexual abuse or assault is a form of child abuse.

Under the Act, the program must include instructional modules for teachers, age-appropriate educational materials for students in grades kindergarten through twelve, and a uniform child sexual abuse and assault response policy and reporting procedure.

The age-appropriate materials for students may include (1) skills in recognizing child sexual abuse and assault, boundary violations and unwanted forms of touching and contact, and ways offenders groom or desensitize victims, (2) strategies to promote disclosure, and (3) reduce self-blame, and to mobilize bystanders.

The response policy and reporting procedure may include actions child victims may take to get help, intervention and counseling options for child victims, access to educational resources to help child victims succeed in school, and uniform procedures for reporting instances of child sexual abuse and assault to school staff.

The legislation requires the program to include sexual abuse and assault prevention, as well as awareness. It also allows, rather than requires, the teachers’ instructional modules to include certain training; and requires school boards to implement the program, and requires that it be implemented in each school district, rather than in each public school.

The legislation permits students to opt out of the awareness program or any part of it based upon a written parental or guardian request. School boards must provide exempt students with opportunities for study or schoolwork when the student would otherwise be participating in the program.

View from the Capitol (continued from page 1) role she has filled as interim since January 1st, will provide stability in the education arena. There are numerous bills that propose to place new requirements on the already strained State Department of Education staff.

This final month of the legislative session will, as always, be filled with late nights, countless amendments and legislation moving quickly between the chambers.

It is an important time to review CABE’s Advocacy Highlights on a regular basis, as all the information will be time sensitive.

Save the Date & Mark Your Calendar!

June 9, 2015 • 9:00 am Legislative Wrap-Up Workshop Legislative Office Building, Hartford Plan to attend this CABE briefing on new laws, regulations, administrative activities and court decisions that will require action by your local or regional school district in 2015-16. Registration information can be found on the CABE website at: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=104

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015 See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education

Did the Nutmeg Board violate both FOIA and the state election laws?

Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin

The Nutmeg Board of Education makes many mistakes. The latest imbroglio created by the board will be reported here each issue, followed by an explanation of what the board should have done.

Though not intended as legal advice, these situations may help board members avoid common problems.

Seymour Dollars, the irascible Chairperson of the Nutmeg Board of Finance, gave the Board of Education a very hard time throughout the entire budget process this year. He questioned the Board down to the minutest detail of its budget estimate, and he seemed always to have a better idea about how to run the Nutmeg Public Schools.

Despite the best efforts of Mr. Superintendent and the Board members, ultimately Seymour recommended that the Board of Finance cut the proposed Board of Education budget by $500,000. At its next meeting, before submitting the budget to referendum vote, the Board of Finance unanimously cut the Board’s budget as Seymour proposed.

Not even the Board of Education would have predicted what happened next. A group of parents formed RUB (“Residents Upset about the Budget”), an advocacy group opposing the cuts made in the Board budget.

It filed with the State Elections Enforcement Commission as a political action committee (PAC), and it promptly began a vigorous campaign. None of the donors gave much individually, but support for restoration of funds to the Board’s budget was widespread, and soon SOS raised $5,000 for its campaign to defeat the budget because it was too low after Seymour’s cuts.

RANT (“Residents Against New Taxes”), the local taxpayer group, took note, and (already a PAC) it too urged voters to reject the budget because, even with the $500,000 cut, the budget provided for an increase in Board of Education spending. Given this unholy alliance, the budget went down to defeat.

Six times.

As the fiscal year is winding to a close, both the Board of Education and the Board of Finance have grown increasingly frustrated by their inability to pass a budget for next year. Finally, even Seymour was rethinking things, and on behalf of the Board of Finance, he recently invited the Board of Education to a joint meeting.

Mr. Chairperson asked Mr. Superintendent whether the meeting should be posted, but he said no, that it was Seymour’s meeting, not that of the Board of Education.

When the meeting was convened, Seymour asked for a motion to go into executive session for “negotiations,” i.e., negotiations over a budget that both boards could support. But members of

both the Board of Finance and the Board of Education objected, and the meeting was conducted in public.

Surprisingly, the Board of Finance and the Board of Education played nicely together despite the public setting, and they quickly reached an agreement to submit a new budget to the voters, one that added $250,000 back to the budget, or one-half the prior cut. They even agreed that a flier would go home with students reminding parents of the time and place of the seventh referendum vote with the message, “Détente! Town Boards finally agree on budget, and now you just have to vote too.”

The members of RANT were aghast at actions of the Board of Finance, and its president promptly filed complaints with the Freedom of Information Commission and the State Elections Enforcement Commission, alleging that the Nutmeg Board of Education had violated the law.

Meanwhile, a weary public came to the polls and overwhelmingly approved the budget.

Does the Nutmeg Board of Education have anything to worry about?

Sadly, the Board may have violated both the Freedom of Information Act and the state elections laws, specifically Connecticut General Statutes, Section 9369b.

The FOIA provides as follows: A quorum of the members of a public agency who are present at any event which has been noticed and conducted as a meeting of another public agency under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act shall not be deemed to be holding a meeting of the public agency of which they are members as a result of their presence at such event.

Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 1-200(6).

Read literally, this provision of the FOIA would make it unnecessary for the Nutmeg Board of Education to post the joint meeting that it had with the Board of Finance. However, the provisions of the FOIA are interpreted broadly in favor of public disclosure, and this provision would not obviate the need here for the Board of Education to post the meeting as well.

The key is that the members of the Board of Education did not merely attend the meeting, but rather they participated in their role as Board of Education members.

Accordingly, the FOIC would rule that meeting was indeed one of both the Board of Finance and the Board of Education and that both bodies should have posted the meeting.

Fortunately, this problem was not compounded by the further error of discussing these matters in executive session as Seymour proposed.

“Negotiations” is used in the FOIA specifically to permit confidential discussion of collective bargaining matters in two ways. “Strategy or negotiations with respect to collective bargaining” is excluded from the definition of “meeting.”

Moreover, public agencies may convene into executive session to discuss information contained in confidential documents, which include “Records, reports and statements of strategy or negotiations with respect to collective bargaining.”

However, there is no exemption for “negotiations” more generally, and public agencies must find another basis for executive session (e.g., pending claims and litigation), if indeed one exists for the situation.

In addition, the Nutmeg Board of Education may have violated the prohibition against spending public funds to advocate a referendum result, as set forth in Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 9-369b.

Interestingly, when the General Assembly voted in 2013 to prohibit boards of education from sending electronic reminders to vote (even those limited to the time and place of the referendum vote), it did not change the long-established rule on sending information with students.

Boards of education may still send reminders home with students as long as

the reminder is limited to the time and place of the vote and does not advocate a referendum result. The problem here, however, is that by announcing that the town boards had finally agreed on the budget, the reminder suggested that the voters should do the same.

Finally, we note Seymour’s fascination with line items. Boards of education must vote to make line item transfers unless they delegate that authority “under emergency circumstances if the urgent need for the transfer prevents the board from meeting in a timely fashion to consider such transfer,” and they must then announce the transfer at their next meeting.

Moreover, as of 2013, they must report now any such transfers to the chief executive officer of the town. However, at the same time the General Assembly also added new language providing that a “line item” may be a broad budget category.

By broadly defining their “line items” in presenting the budget to the municipality, boards of education may avoid triggering these requirements when minor changes in the budget are required over the course of the year.

Attorney Thomas B. Mooney is a partner in the Hartford law firm of Shipman & Goodwin who works frequently with boards of education. Mooney is a regular contributor to the CABE Journal.

The Eighth Edition is here!!

A Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law

by Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin The Guide comes with a CD which provides hyperlinks to many cases and statutes and will permit ord searches as a supplement to the Index.

The Eighth Edition was substantially rewritten to reflect statutory changes, significant case law developments in state and federal courts. Some of the numerous legal developments and update are as follows: • School Safety and Security • Bullying Law • Teacher Evaluation and Support • Teacher Tenure Act • New Requirements for Professional Development • Budget Issues • Prohibitions on Electronic Notifications of Referenda • Minimum Budget Requirements • FMLA for Paraprofessionals • Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements • Uniform Regional School Calendars • Excusal • Student Assessments • Pool Safety • Concussion Prevention and Education • Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention and Education • Administration and Storage of Epinephrine • Excused Absences • Student Free Speech • Employee Free Speech

Order your copy TODAY by going to the CABE website: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=749

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015

Planning Update 2015 CABE/CAPSS Convention Lisa Steimer Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development, CABE

Save the Date The annual CABE/CAPSS Convention will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 20-21, 2015 at the Mystic Marriott Hotel in Groton. Your Convention Committee, made up of board of education members and superintendents from across the state, has been hard at work planning this year’s Convention since January.

Workshop Offerings

recommendations to the Committee-atlarge. As usual, there was lively discussion about the proposals and after deliberation those proposals that will best meet the needs of board members and superintendents were selected.

A complete list of workshop offerings is available at http://www.cabe.org/ page.cfm?p=972 .

Talented Student We are still accepting entries for the Talented Student portion of the Convention. We are looking for student musical groups to open the Convention on Friday

The CABE/CAPSS Convention Committee met on March 24 to review the over 80 workshop proposals received.

Final decisions proved particularly difficult this year as we received an unprecedented number of proposals and many were very timely and of high quality.

The Committee heard the recommendations of the subcommittee, comprised of two board members and two superintendents not submitting proposals of their own, charged with meeting and making

On March 24 the CABE/CAPSS Convention Committee chose the workshops that are going to be presented at the CABE/CAPSS Convention.

State Board of Education meets Senior Staff Associate for Government Relations

Written by: Mark J. Sommaruga, Esq. Pullman & Comley, LLC to order the FOIA book go to the CABE Online Bookstore at www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=749

Mystic Marriott Hotel and Spa 625 North Road, Route 117 Groton, CT 06340

As the Convention is further developed, details can be found on the CABE website http://www.cabe.org/page.cfm? p=961 and in future issues of the CABE Journal.

We look forward to seeing you at the Convention in November!

Sheila McKay

- Fourth Edition

Convention Hotel Reservation Information

Those attending the annual CABE/ CAPSS Convention have been guaranteed a room rate of $149. We are grateful to the Marriott for holding this rate steady for us for a number of years.

The rate of $149 is guaranteed only until Wednesday, October 21, 2015.

After that point, reservations are based on availability and are offered at the prevailing rate.

You may reservations online at: https:// resweb.passkey.com/go/ CABECAPSS2015 OR by calling the hotel’s reservation department at 877901-6632.

Purchase orders are NOT accepted.

Additional Information

Available from The CABE Bookstore!

Understanding the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act and Access to Public Meetings and Records

and Saturday mornings. In addition, we are looking for the work of talented students to be displayed on Friday. The deadline to submit Talented Student entries is May 15.

For more information about the Talented Student Program and an entry form, go to http://www.cabe.org/uploaded/2015_Showcase_Talented_ Students.pdf

At the monthly meeting of the State Board of Education, the Board approved the 2013-14 Condition of Education in Connecticut. A few highlights of the report: • Student enrollment is down by more than 5% over the last decade.

• The percentage of racial and ethnic minority students has risen, mostly in the Hispanic population. The percentage is up from 37.8% in 2010 to 41.6% in 2013.

• Special Education student numbers have risen slightly every year since 2007-08, from 11.5% to 12.4% in 2013-14. Data identifies the most common groups as white students with autism and Hispanic students with speech/language impairments.

• The number of students eligible for free or reduced priced meals has grown each of the last ten years from 26.6% in 2004-05 to 37.1% in 2013-14.

Also approved were American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages world language oral interviews and written tests. This report was coupled with increasing the passing standard.

Additionally, a Praxis II test for Family and Consumer Science was approved.

The Norfolk and Colebrook school

districts and communities have been meeting to discuss establishing a regional school district.

While rewording a motion on two waivers for the Norfolk-Colebrook Temporary Regional School Study, (a group that has been in existence since March 2013 and in discussion for several years prior to that) the State Board approved a five year minimum budget requirement waiver to be reviewed after five-years and approved the waiver from the Reserve fund for employee sick leave and severance benefits obligation.

State Department of Education staff have updated the charter renewal process and they discussed the changes with the board and specifically reviewed the 17 performance indicators. These indicators are broadly in the areas of school performance; stewardship, governance and management; and student population.

Editor’s Note: The complete report “The Condition of Education in Connecticut 2013-2014” can be accessed by going to the CABE website: www. cabe.org.

Public School Enrollment Statewide enrollment has steadily declined since 2004-05. In 2013-14, enrollment was 5.5 percent lower than it was in 2004-05.

Source: SED’s The Condition of Education in Connecticut, 2013-2014.

The Journal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015

CABE Day on the Hill - March 25, 2015

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman

Senator Toni Boucher, Ranking Member of the Education Committee

CABE President Richard Murray (Killingly) and Senator Beth Bye, the 2015 Distinguished Legislator Award recipient.

Representative Gail Lavielle, Ranking Member of the Education Committee

Representative Andy Fleischmann, Co-Chair of the Education Committee

CABE Deputy Director Patrice McCarthy and Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations Sheila McKay brief participants on legislation before the General Assembly.

Representatives Douglas McCrory and Brandon McGee talking with Immediate Past President Lydia Tedone (Simsbury).

CABE Vice President for Government Relations Robert Mitchell (Montville)

The morning concluded with the March to the Capitol and time for board member and students to visit and lobby their senators and representatives. If you weren’t part of this year’s Day on the Hill, plan on attending next March, we hope to see you there!

Secretary of State Denise Merrill with board members.

Polly Rauh (Stamford) Evelyn Simpson (Stamford Parent Teacher Council) and Representative Patricia (Billie) Miller far right.

Representative Tim Ackert with board members from Tolland and Vernon.

Representative Sam Belsito talking with board members.

Representative and a member of the Waterford Board Kathleen McCarty with Sheila McKay and Patrice McCarthy.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015

CONNECTICUT ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION Our Mission

Our Purpose

To assist local and regional boards of education in providing high quality education for all Connecticut children through effective leadership.

As a statewide non-profit organization CABE advocates for public schools and school board leadership in Connecticut. We are dedicated to strengthening public education through advocacy, education and service to our member boards of education. It’s our belief that providing high-quality education for all Connecticut children begins with effective leadership. CABE exists solely to support our school boards so the future of public education continues to be a bright one. We do this by: • Promoting school boards as the decision makers in Connecticut public education • Strengthening the effectiveness of the district leadership team • Providing information about best practices that lead and inspire local boards of education

Our Vision CABE is passionate about strengthening public education through high-performing, transformative local school board/superintendent leadership teams that inspire success for each child.

Our Membership Services

Our Policy Services

• Provide a broad range of professional development opportunities regionally and locally to our members

• Help school districts maintain wellorganized, comprehensive and usable policy manuals

• Help districts increase their focus on student achievement by helping board members to better understand their roles

• Provide accurate and up-to-date information to member school districts on board policy issues

• Provide publications to enhance members’ skills and become more knowledgeable about the issues facing them

• Provide “best practice” policy samples to local boards of education

. . . . And, a whole lot more!

Our Advocacy Services • Promote the positions of school boards before the State and Federal governments and support advocacy by board members • Provide legal and legislative information to individual boards of education • Build coalitions with others in support of public education

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015

Students attending Day on the Hill Students from Branford, Canton, Exploration Charter, Granby, Killingly, New Britain, New London, Plainfield, Plainville, Region 12, Simsbury, and Waterbury attended CABE’s Day on the Hill.

CABE Search Services

CAG presents: Using gifted education pedagogy to benefit ALL students Ann Means

is recruiting for

Madison Public Schools Director of Special Education Consult an ode onsultan antt: Mar Maryy Br Brode oderrick, EEd .D.. d.D

For an update or more information on vacancies go to our website: www.cabe.org For more information contact, CABE Search Services, 860-539-7594 Mary Broderick, Senior Search Consultant Paul Gagliarducci, Associate Consultant Jacqueline V. Jacoby, Senior Search Consultant Bob King, Associate Consultant P.O. Box 290252, Wethersfield, CT 06129-0252 www.cabe.org/support • Equal Opportunity Employers

Executive Director Connecticut Association for the Gifted

Numerous research studies have shown that students at all levels of instruction will benefit from trained teachers using gifted education pedagogy in the regular classroom (see, for example, www.gifted. uconn.edu/nrcgt/burngubb.html ). CAG has compiled a list of 10 best practices that can contribute to raising achievement of all learners, while serving the needs of advanced learners in the regular classroom environment: 1. Create an environment that facilitates learning for all ability and readiness levels.

• Focus on strengths and interests.

• Have high expectation mindsets and use advanced level standards/objectives.

2. Differentiate instruction using preassessment and a variety of flexible groups and teaching strategies.

• Identify and use appropriate breadth, depth, and pacing skills/ units.

3.

4.

5.

6.

• Use activities that encourage self-directed learning.

Enhance in-depth knowledge through literacy/comprehension strategies.

• Make connections from prior learning and experiences to new learning across disciplines.

• Encourage students to think about subjects in more abstract and complex ways.

Focus on teaching through higherlevel thinking processes.

• Incorporate critical and creative thinking skills at all learning levels.

• Include problem-based learning, inquiry teaching, problem solving and problem finding.

• Utilize open-ended questions that stimulate inquiry, active exploration, and discovery.

Encourage collaborative learning.

Bridge gaps between all learners regardless of race, socio-economic See CGA page 11

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015

CABE: working for YOU

Individualized Workshops • Professional Development Opportunities Legal Services • Policy Services • Representing You Statewide and Nationally Below are the highlights of activities that the CABE staff has undertaken on your behalf over the last month. We did this:

➤ By representing Connecticut school boards on the state or national level:

•

• • • •

• • • • • • • • •

• •

Attended National School Boards Association (NSBA) Conference, including attending and presenting workshops, participating at the Delegate Assembly, attending meeting of state school boards asociations’ executive directors, and hosting a Connecticut breakfast.

Participated in meeting of Big 6 Partnership (CABE, CAPSS, CAS, CBIA, CCER and ConnCAN).

Represented boards of education at meeting of Professional Educators Advisory Council (PEAC).

Attended Governor Malloy’s press conference on increased graduation rates.

Met with CAPSS Executive Director Joe Cirasuolo on the shortage of superintendent candidates in Connecticut.

Participated in meeting of AntiDefamation League Board of Directors.

Participated in meeting of CAPSS’ NextEd 2 meeting.

Met with representatives of the Connecticut Association for the Gifted.

Attended the CAPSS Board of Directors meeting.

Attended a Shipman & Goodwin legal seminar.

Attended a meeting of the Child Emergency Preparedness Committee.

Attended a school anniversary in Clinton.

Attended a meeting of the CAPSS Technology Committee.

Participated in conference call regarding planning of NSBA Trainers Conference being hosted by CABE/ MASC in June.

Hosted meeting of Connecticut Coalition for Public Education.

Attended Connecticut Society of

• • • • • • • •

Assocation Exectives (CSAE) Annual Conference and particpated in CSAE webinar.

Participated in NSBA Council of School Attorneys law seminar.

Discussed the “Cadillac Tax” with reporters.

Participated in State Department of Education 11 grade assessement task force.

Participated in the SDE Professional Learning Advisory Committee meeting.

Attended the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) Board of Directors meeting.

Attended State Board of Education meeting.

Attended CREC Council meeting.

Provided testimony to the Vermont General Assembly on binding arbitration.

ence Manual and/or online manuals posted by CABE for policy samples.

The topics of greatest interest included graduation requirements, grading and assessment, technology issues, bullying, field trips, and a multitude of student-related issues.

➤ By ensuring members

receive the most up-todate communications:

• •

•

➤ By providing opportunities for members to learn how to better govern their districts:

• • •

•

• •

Met with representatives of CREC office on school district efficiency.

Hosted 2015 CABE/CAPSS Convention Committee meeting.

Attended EastCONN workshop with 2015 CABE/CAPSS Convention Friday keynote speaker Yong Zhao.

Met with Connecticut Council for Education Reform’s Executive Director Jeff Villar on working closer together.

Organized and staffed first session of the CABE Leadership Institute.

Provided policy information to 32 districts, one RESC, one newspapers, three out-of-state school boards associations, one Charter School, and one non-profit organization through 58 answered requests for information or sample policies, on 474 topics.

Further, districts continue to access CABE’s online Core Policy Refer-

Provided a webinar on the actions taken by the Education Committee.

As part of the development of new policy manuals utilizing the Custom Policy Service, materials were prepared for Cromwell, Newtown, North Haven, Stamford, Stratford, Thomaston, and Wethersfield.

As part of the Custom Update Service policy materials were sent to Newington, Putnam, Sterling and West Haven.

•

•

➤ By helping school boards to increase student achievement

• • • •

➤ By providing services

to meet members needs:

• • • •

• •

Met with Windsor Locks Superintendent Susan Bell on CABE services, activities and programs.

Presently auditing the policy manual of the New London Board.

Entered into an agreement to do an audit of the Shelton Board policy manual.

Developed new policies pertaining to new hiring standards and training requirements for food service personnel.

Made enhancement to the C.O.P.S. Online Policy Service Completed revisions to the CABE

Model Student Handbook.

Met with Superintendent Martin Semmel of the Plymouth Public Schools to discuss policy issues, needs, and CABE services.

Participated in conference calls and webinar about event app for possible use at CABE/CAPSS Convention.

Attended CCER workshop on early childhood learning.

Faciliated a board self-evaluation workshop for the Ashford Board of Education.

Facilitated a community engagement workshop for the Columbia Board of Education.

Sent out three issues of Policy Highlights via email listserv covering topics that affect student achievement. This included protecting the privacy of student data online, expansion of the Family Medical Leave Act, discipline, nutrition programs, use of tablets in the classroom, and graduation.

➤ By promoting

public education:

• • •

•

Hosted CABE’s Day on the Hill.

Attended Yale School of Management Educational Conference.

Met with LEAD/UConn residency principal candidates to inform them about the work of boards of education.

Attended Southern Connecticut State University’s Hispanic and Latino reception.

CAG presents: Using gifted education pedagogy to benefit ALL students (continued from page 10) status, sex or culture.

• Use student-interest project work that motivates and develops independence and a passion for learning.

• Include enrichment so students with emerging talents (traditionally underrepresented, low income and culturally/linguistically diverse) can have opportunities to display potential.

7. Evaluate learning through a variety of assessments (authentic, formative and summative).

• Measure growth, not solely test performance.

• Use frequent and quick assessments (often done by students themselves) to build selfawareness and motivation.

• Pre-test to assess student knowledge.

• Accelerate or curriculum compact for students who need it.

8. Connect in-depth understanding to real-world practices.

• Emphasize meaningful connections through interdisciplinary approaches and real-life referencing.

9. Design seamless integration of technology for higher-quality instruction.

10. Extend learning opportunities through summer, weekend and after-school activities.

Many teachers are familiar with some of these practices, and a few already implement some of them in their classrooms.

For districts that would like to support a wider implementation of any of these practices in their schools, the Connecticut Association for the Gifted offers a Professional Development Program that is designed to meet the needs of advanced learners while enabling all students to raise their levels of achievement.

Each of the above practices can be presented as a separate workshop module.

Please contact Ann Means, execdirector @ctgifted.org, for more information.

CAG is an Education Affiliate member.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015

E-Mail and the FOIA: Lessons learned from recent headlines Mark J. Sommaruga Attorney, Pullman & Comley

The federal Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”] has recently made its way into national news stories for all of the wrong reasons. Hillary Clinton has become enmeshed in a controversy regarding her use (while serving as Secretary of State) of a private e-mail account for conducting official business.

In addition, the White House ironically chose “National Freedom of Information Day” and “Sunshine Week” as the time to eliminate a federal regulation that subjected its “Office of Administration” to the FOIA, thus apparently codifying a practice of the Bush and Obama administrations of denying access to records from that office.

For better or worse, school districts in Connecticut do not have the power to simply eliminate their obligations under Connecticut’s FOIA. Regardless of one’s political affiliation (Democrat, Republican or “none of the above”), failure to comply with the FOIA with respect to email can subject school board members and school district employees to penalties.

Briefly, as we use news headlines to provide a teachable moment, here are a few reminders: 1. As should now come as no surprise, an e-mail message is a public record. Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Commission [“FOIC”] has repeatedly held that e-mails are public records.

While e-mail was just a glimmer in the eyes of the FOIA’s drafters when that Act was passed back in 1975, the FOIA’s broad definition of a “public record” (i.e., any record

relating to the public’s business, recorded by any method) clearly includes e-mail.

2. If you are transmitting and receiving e-mails concerning the public’s business, those e-mails are covered by the FOIA, and subject to the FOIA’s disclosure requirements.

It may not matter if you use your school districtprovided email account or a personal e-mail account.

Even if school officials and employees use private email accounts to conduct public business, such messages may still be subject to disclosure under the FOIA. Cf. Rowlenson v. CoChairman, State of Connecticut, Connecticut General Assembly, Energy and Technology Committee, #FIC 2005-407 (June 14, 2006).

3. Conversely, if a school district official uses district-provided/ funded equipment (e.g., a “smartphone”) or e-mail accounts for personal matters, such use could be subject to disclosure under the FOIA. From its recent decisions, it

appears that the FOIC believes that minor or incidental usage of public equipment for personal purposes by public officials and employees does not necessarily concern the public, and therefore records relating to such use do not necessarily constitute “public records.” However, where the usage is excessive or “inappropriate,” or displays an “inappropriate mixing of the employee’s professional and private life,” then it becomes a matter of public concern, and such e-mails will be subject to disclosure under the FOIA. Compare Burgin v.

Chief, Police Department, Town of East Hampton, #FIC 2011-704 (July 11, 2012) with Burgin v.

Chief, Police Department, Town of East Hampton, #FIC 2012-089 (December 12, 2012).

4. Since school district e-mails are public records, a) you should act accordingly in creating e-mails, and b) in situations where there is not an available exemption or privilege under the FOIA, you may wish to refrain from creating e-mails that you do not wish to be made public.

Without favoring any particular media outlet, we have referred to this standard over the years as the Hartford Courant test. Please do not inadvertently become the latest headline.

5. There are criminal penalties for destroying public records. Since email can constitute a public record, it goes without saying that it is a serious matter if you delete e-mails that pertain to your school district’s business. While the jails are not full of persons for deleting e-mails, other serious consequences could arise from destruction of any public records (e-mails or otherwise), such as fines and jeopardizing the school

district’s position in pending or threatened litigation.

6. It is optimal to use a school districtprovided e-mail account for school district business so that a) you do not have to worry about commingling personal e-mails with school district business, b) personal e-mails are not inadvertently disclosed when you are complying with FOIA requests, and c) your personal e-mail account does not become jammed with school district-related e-mails that you must preserve.

7. Finally, while the sender of the email is generally the person responsible for retaining the e-mail within a public agency; see General Letter 2009-2, Advisory Opinion of Public Records Administrator on Management of E-mail and other Electronic Messages, (June 30, 2009); it may be worthwhile for your school district to have protocols for identifying the responsible parties for preserving e-mails.

In light of recent developments, the lessons provided herein are worth remembering, lest you inadvertently become part of a news story for all of the wrong reasons.

Attorney Sommaruga is a member of the law firm of Pullman & Comley, LLC, which represents numerous school districts in Connecticut. Attorney Sommaruga is the author of Understanding the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act and Access to Public Meetings and Records (Fourth Edition 2013), which was published by CABE.

“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel.

If people believe in themselves,

Lisa Stevens, President, Connecticut Society of Association Executives (CSAE), presented Lisa Steimer, Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development (CABE), the CSAE Professional Performance Award for her invaluable contributions to CABE, the association management profession and CSAE.

it’s amazing what they can accomplish.”

– Sam Walton

13

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015 The

Media Message

from Ann Baldwin, Baldwin Media Marketing, LLC

Regional School District 12 attends CABE Day on the Hill ready for lights, camera, action!

Recently, a number of CABE member districts attended Day on the Hill.

This was an opportunity for various school board members and their students to spend a day in the capitol city of Hartford to hear from policy makers and educators regarding various issues as they relate to public education in our state. Many of the board members and students also met with their respective state legislators at the State

Capitol on issues that are important to their home districts.

This was an event that we were hoping to get media coverage for, and we did!

NBC Connecticut News reported on this event, which began at the Bushnell on March 25, and culminated at the State Capitol. As a result, reporters shadowed some of the folks from Regional School District 12, including; board member Michelle Gorra, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patricia Cosentino, Karen Fildes, District Instructional Technology Specialist, and Emily Alworth and Sandra Garcia, both of whom are Seniors at Shepaug Valley School.

As a result of NBC’s coverage, both students were interviewed about the district’s proposed Agriscience and STEM Academy. These students conducted two of the best interviews that I have ever seen. They not only were able to articulate what this new academy would mean

for their district, they also provided great arguments on why this program would benefit surrounding communities as well, despite the fact that since they are seniors neither would personally experience the program.

Emily and Sandra were so well prepared that reporter Max Reiss even commented about how well informed and passionate they came across in their interview. This is why in ALL districts, it is important to have students who are prepared to be unofficial spokespeople for your public school system as part of your communications plan and is a true example of “a best practice.”

Other students in attendance should also be applauded for the way that they represented themselves for the Day on the Hill. From the way that they were dressed, to the manner in which they presented themselves to their individual state legislators, their voice and presence truly had a long-lasting impact on the message that

they were there to deliver, in support of public education in Connecticut.

Hats off to all of those who attended this great event and whose students were a perfect example of what a great job our public schools are doing to prepare students not only in the classroom, but outside of the classroom as well!

CABE and Baldwin Media: Partners in Managing Communications .

Farmington and other districts use surveys to inform improvement plans and measure progress Elizabeth Breese Panorama Education

From districts’ strategic plans and annual goals to superintendents’ 90-day plans, school districts in Connecticut strive to focus educators on a shared set of objectives to drive district improvement. Increasingly, district administrators in Connecticut use surveys of students, staff, and families to determine which areas demand the focus of strategic plans, to set goals and to track and measure progress.

Since the SEED model was introduced in 2012, Connecticut districts have used surveys to inform teacher evaluation and professional development. The students who observe teachers every day and parents who speak with their students about their classroom experiences and regularly interact with teachers offer incredibly important perspectives on what happens in Connecticut classrooms.

As Connecticut districts have found since 2012, feedback data from students and parents is invaluable for improving teaching and learning in schools and classrooms generally.

Like many other Connecticut districts, Farmington Public Schools runs “360 Surveys,” collecting feedback from students, staff, and families. Feedback from each of these groups is used to set districtwide goals and priorities, align everyone

in the district on a shared and agreed upon set of goals, and to measure progress over time. The following is a process of using feedback data for district planning that Panorama Education has seen piloted effectively by partner districts in Connecticut and around the country.

1. Use Data to Identify Priorities Surveys offer the opportunity to measure what educators know is important for student outcomes, including school and classroom climate, perceptions of safety, bullying, family-school engagement, and student engagement. Feedback data points toward the areas of strength to continue to develop and opportunities for improvement.

Sub-group comparisons and districtwide comparisons, aided by a Leadership Dashboard, enable school leaders to identify areas where focused growth and attention would lead to improved outcomes for students.

2. Set Goals with Transparency and a Spirit of Collaboration Survey data helps everyone involved in the district, including administrators, teachers, members of the Board of Education, and parents, to see the same picture, including strengths and areas for improvement. When a diverse group of stakeholders perceive the same

areas for growth, the entire community can rally behind finding solutions.

Kimberly Wynne, Assistant Superintendent of Farmington Public Schools, leads a district-wide committee on teaching and professional development that decided to take action to improve the perception of the value of PD in the district. Farmington used the results of their teacher surveys to introduce a “Learning Lab” day to encourage more peer-lead PD. In my interview with Kim Wynne about Farmington’s 360 Surveys, she explained, “As the facilitator of that committee, I found that the survey data allowed us to be transparent about an area for improvement without finger-pointing or blame. Instead, we were able to focus on the data and on how we could improve our results in that area next time.”

3. Use Clear Metrics of Success to Track Progress Data-driven districts use data to set priorities and to measure progress.

Feedback collected with surveys can shine a light on improvement in the areas about which districts care most. Should districts put particular

energy toward keeping girls engaged and excited by math and science during their middle school years?

Tracking test scores is one metric of success, and other key indicator of progress is the perceptions of female students about their classes and learning experiences and how they compare to their male counterparts.

By using the same survey scales year after year, districts in Connecticut are amassing customized benchmarks and metrics around what is most important in their districts.

Over 30 districts in Connecticut work with Panorama Education to better understand their students, staff, and families and to seamlessly collect and use feedback data for their districts.

We regularly host webinars on best practices for survey design and implementation.

Please join us if you would like to learn more about how surveys can help your district develop and implement datadriven strategic plans.

Editor’s Note: One of the many worthy workshop proposals that could not be accepted by the Convention Committee due to a limited number of slots. Those presenters who were turned down were offered the opportunity to write for the CABE Journal.

14 Grants awarded (continued from page 1) really like to be clear that the state requires very, very minimal testing,” added Wentzell.

“We have kept our state testing burden to the absolute minimum required by federal law and we really want to make sure that our districts understand that the other assessments are discretionary,” she continued. “So we really feel like it makes an important statement by supporting districts in doing a really close look in their testing practices.”

Districts that applied for the state grant money were required to formulate a fourpart plan to assess their assessments, according to the interim commissioner.

“The first part was doing the inventory,” said Wentzell. “The second part was developing a plan to realign their assessments program; the third part was to implement the plan and the fourth part was to do PD [professional development] with their teachers and leaders to support the effective use of assessments in the classroom.”

Wentzell explained that the idea is to “get away from the idea of stop, drop and test that we did for so many years and really get to a place where we use assessments more fluidly to inform instruction.”

She added, “It’s something we definitely have been moving toward in education for a long time now – a lot of educational writers have written about how important formative assessment is because we know that kids need frequent feedback to improve their academic performance.”

Norwich is one school system that received a grant at the end of February for $10,000 from SDE. District officials there told The CABE Journal in early April that they were in the process of taking stock of their assessments.

“We have had two meetings of our assessment reduction committee and we are working with a consultant from the University of Connecticut who is leading the charge to help us take an objective look of where we are as far as assessments we are using,” explained Kaitlyn O’Leary, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Norwich public schools.

“I think the big focus of our group is ensuring that not only are we making sure

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015 we aren’t using too many [assessments], but that the assessments we are using we are using in a really meaningful way to help guide instruction,” continued O’Leary, adding that her district is utilizing the inventory tool developed by Achieve, “The Student Assessment Inventory for School Districts.”

Joe Stefon, Norwich’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, explained that the assessment reduction committee contains a representative group of people – including teachers and administrators – “because everybody has their own take on what assessments we are using and the amount of time it takes.”

He added, “We are really looking at what kind of data these assessments are giving us and whether we are using it effectively to plan for instruction and intervention for the students. My personal feeling is, in the end, if we did less, sometimes less is better, as long as what we keep in place is strong and really gives us the information that we need.”

Stefon noted that the ability to assess his district’s assessments was a “definite” positive. “We always think that we have all the right assessments but this is sort of forcing us in a way to really look at what we have been using and why we are using it,” he explained.

“The interesting part of all of this is that it seems like over the last few years, because we are an alliance/priority district, there has always been more assessments anyway,” added Stefon.

“And so we have been required to do more and more assessment and the teachers and the administrators have often said it is time-consuming and takes away from instructional time,” said Stefon.

According to O’Leary, a presentation will be made to the Norwich Board of Education in the near future. “Part of our plan is to bring all of our findings forward and some recommendations forward to our Board of Education at our final board meeting of this school year,” she said.

Next Steps After the 48 districts statewide complete their inventories in late June, the plan is to eventually have them share their findings in some form, said Wentzell.

“We will be planning some sort of way

CABE Leadership Institute Class of 2015

Attending the first meeting were: Ellen Michaels and John Prins (Branford), Christopher Wilson (Bristol), Shelby Brown (East Hartford), Katherine Paulhus and Kathleen Ward (Mansfield), Robert Mitchell (Montville), Scott Garbini and Mirna Martinez (New London), Michelle Embree Ku (Newtown), Yvette Jacaruso (Norwich), Amy Cote (Oxford), Janet Butkus (Region 15), Lydia Tedone (Simsbury), Polly Rauh (Stamford), Jeanne Gee and Natalie Semyanko (Suffield), Tammy Exum (West Hartford), and Michaela Fissel (Windsor).

Unable to attend this meeting were: Kadisha Coates (Bridgeport), Marilyn Pet (East Hartford), Katrina Fitzgerald (Groton), Craig Stallings (Hartford), Martha Kelly (Mansfield), Sharon Beloin-Saavedra (New Britain), Regina Botsford (Region 15), Matt Service (Suffield), Leslie Crotty, Cathie Rinaldi, Janelle Wilk (Watertown).

for them to share what they have learned – that was part of what they committed to – sharing their learning,” said Wentzell.

“We will have to figure out whether we do that through publication or through an event, or both, but we definitely want what these districts learn through this process to be shared with all districts in Connecticut. We really do believe that a lot of districts are struggling with reducing the amount of time that they choose to spend on assessments.”

An assessment inventory pilot program was conducted by eight school systems in Connecticut last year – districts included West Hartford, Hartford, New Haven and New Canaan – that utilized the Achieve developed assessment tool.

A “Great Outcome” Wentzell noted that the pilot program had a “great outcome,” adding, “We were really thrilled when Achieve approached us with this tool that they wanted to try out. We had put forward at an Achieve event that we were concerned with over testing and that we would love to work with other states on this problem and then they followed up with us saying they were

developing this tool so we partnered with eight districts last spring to try it out.”

According to Achieve, its system can help district leaders “take stock of their assessments and assessment strategy, and do so from a student perspective. The tool supports a process by which districts evaluate the assessments students are taking, determine the minimum testing necessary to serve essential diagnostic, instructional and accountability purposes, and work to ensure that every district-mandated test is of high quality, is providing the information needed for specific school and district purposes, and is supported by structures and routines so that assessment results are actually used and action steps taken that will help students.”

Based on its experience with Connecticut school systems, Achieve did some tweaking to its assessment inventory tool.

“Achieve did adjust the tool significantly based on the feedback from our districts, so I think it’s always exciting to be a part of a process like that; for our educators to be in on the ground floor and it is a process that is really going to help kids and teachers and be a positive benefit,” added Wentzell.

Employee Relations: Spring 2015 Thursday, May 28, 2015 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM The Inn at Middletown, Middletown, CT Plan to attend this workshop and learn about: National Trends on Teacher Tenure Reform, Legal and Legislative Efforts, Financial Control Procedures and Oversight of all School Funds CABE Vice President for Professional Development Elaine Whitney (Westport) presenting the CABE Award of Excellence in Educational Communications to Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S.) President Arlene Liscinsky (Shelton) and Executive Director Evan Pitkoff on April 2 at C.E.S.

Registration information can be found on the CABE website at: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=104

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015

2015 NSBA Annual Conference Nashville, Tennessee Delegate Assembly

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Workshop Presentations

Executive Director Robert Rader and Deputy Director and General Counsel Patrice McCarthy offered “Ten Best Practices to Avoid Liability”.

Robert Rader

CABE President Richard Murray proposed an amendment to strengthen the NSBA Belief and Policy “Keywords of School Boards,” which was overwhelmingly supported.

Floyd Dugas (Berchem, Moses & Devlin) participated in the Council of School Attorneys (COSA) opening general session “Rethinking Teacher Due Process Rights”

Lydia Tedone (Simsbury), Patrice McCarthy (CABE), Robert Rader (CABE), Ann Gruenberg (Hampton), Richard Murray (Killingly) Donald Harris (Bloomfield), Robert Mitchell (Montville), and Elaine Whitney (Westport) represented Connecticut at the NSBA Delegate Assembly.

Election Attorneys Anne Littlefield and Leander Dolphin (Shipman & Goodwin) presented a workshop for COSA on “Guiding School Districts thorugh Race, Sex and Disability Complaint Investigations”

Lydia Tedone (Connecticut), Jacob Oliveira (Massachusetts) and Kristin Malin (Maine) are NSBA Northeast Regional Directors on the NSBA Board of Directors.

Mark you calendar for next year’s NSBA Conference to be held in Boston, MA April 9-11, 2016

Robert Rader participated in a session on “The Future of Boards of Education” with other state school board association executive directors.

Jack Reynolds (retired Superintendent) and Mary Broderick (CABE and NSBA Past President) engaged the audience in a discussion of “Getting to Excellence through the School Board/ Superintendent Governance Team”.

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The Journal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/May 2015