CABE Journal - June 2018

B C

www.cabe.org

Vol. 22, No. 6

June, 2018

Legislative Session Concludes

State Board of Education Meeting Patrice McCarthy

Patrice McCarthy,

Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE

Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE

With the customary flurry of last minute activity, the General Assembly adjourned at midnight on May 9th. In the final hours of the legislative session, the legislators adopted revisions to the State Budget for 2018-19, with bipartisan support. Among the notable adjustments were restoration of $1.5 million to support the Teacher Education and Mentoring program (TEAM), and restoration of Education Cost Sharing Aid using updated student and town data.

The Legislature also provided funding support for school districts who received students that were displaced by Hurricane Maria, and increased funding for bilingual education.

The Legislature approved $5 million for school security projects that include multimedia interoperable communication systems that allow coordination between state and local officials.

Utilizing input from a variety of stakeholders, including CABE, the

At the May meeting of the State Board of Education, the Board voted to adopt the Connecticut Certificate of Global Engagement Guidelines. The concept for the Connecticut Certificate of Global Engagement originated in the International Education Committee of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), on which CABE serves.

During the 2017-18 school year, 12 Connecticut high schools piloted the guidelines. Connecticut school districts can elect to participate in the program to recognize high school graduates who have successfully completed a Global Education Curriculum and engaged in co-curricular activities and experiences that foster the development of global competencies and global citizenship.

The guidelines provide flexibility to districts in determining the coursework and extracurricular programs that will be recognized.

The three essential elements of the guidelines are:

See LEGISLATIVE SESSION page 2

Happy Graduation!

Photo courtesy of East Hartford Public Schools.

Board Freezes Dues for the Third Straight Year Robert Rader

Executive Director, CABE

For the third year in a row, the Board of Directors froze dues at its April 25th meeting. Dues paid by school districts will remain at the Fiscal Year 2016-17 level.

It is also expected that fees for workshops, the CABE/CAPSS Annual Convention and publications, will also remain the same.

Due to uncertainty over State and local budgets, the Board recognized that these are very difficult fiscal times for our members.

The Board, following the recommendations of the Finance Commit-

tee chaired by Secretary/Treasurer Michael Purcaro, determined that, despite the difficult environment, we should continue these activities as they are central to CABE’s mission.

Mr. Purcaro stated, “We prioritized our budget to ensure the continuation and quality of our core programs that directly benefit our members. The budget was balanced by making strategic reductions combined with the use of reserves. The budget also further supports management strategies that enhance the effective and efficient delivery of our valued member services.”

In past years, CABE had received support from SDE for some of our programs, including the Lighthouse project, the CABE Leadership Institute, New/Veteran Board Member workshop (which does not take See BOARD FREEZES page 7

1. Globally-focused Coursework: a. A student must successfully complete a minimum of three years of coursework in one or more world languages. If a student is an English learner (EL) and is enrolled in an English as a Second Language (ESL) course the student may be exempt from this requirement. b. A student must successfully complete a minimum of four See BOARD MEETING page 13

Is Your Entire Community Represented?

Civility: Finding Common Ground and Solutions

Seymour Blocks Hackers

Preston Approaches English Learners Differently

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018 PRESIDENT COMMENTARY

CABE’s Professional Development:

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

You Can’t Afford NOT to Participate

Robert Mitchell President, CABE

Boards of education expect district staff to engage in professional development; board members should have the same expectation for themselves.

CABE has long been a provider of quality professional development for school board members. This month I want to focus on how your Association provides professional development to help board members work as effectively as possible.

There are a number of opportunities to benefit from the knowledge and experience of both the CABE staff – many of whom are recognized for their expertise in education leadership – and other experts with a number of backgrounds. Every year CABE puts together a series of programs to help boards and superintendents develop their skills.

CABE provides a number of statewide professional development opportunities, including “Hot Topics” which are two- to three-hour breakfast meetings on a specific topic, statewide sessions such as Collective Bargaining and Legal Issues and the CABE Leadership Institute which brings a smaller group together for several four-hour meetings to participate in more in-depth conversations. The annual CABE/CAPSS Convention, the premier education professional development program in Connecticut, will be held November 16-17 at the Mystic Marriott Hotel in Groton.

These programs offer the opportunity to not only learn from the planned program, but also to network with and learn from your colleagues across the state. Hearing the experiences of board members beyond your community is of great value.

CABE offers the Board Member

LEGISLATIVE SESSION

(continued from page 1)

General Assembly adopted a number of changes in teacher certification to provide greater opportunities to increase the diversity of our educator workforce. This legislation dovetails

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

Board of Directors

Academy as a way for you to be recognized for your participation in professional development. Board members earn credits by participating in CABE programs. To achieve the first level, Certificated Board of Education Member, a board member must accumulate at least 20 credits in core areas. After earning an additional 20 credits, board members achieve the Master Board of Education Member (MBEM) level.

More information is available on the CABE website at www.cabe.org.

Board members and superintendents receive flyers and emails announcing CABE programs. I recommend you attend those that interest you and especially those that will stretch you. The calendar on the CABE website is kept up-to-date and you can learn about upcoming programs.

Many of these events programs a nominal registration fee to cover expenses. Your board might consider participating in the CABE Express program. For one fee, your entire board of education, superintendent and up to five central office administrators can attend most CABE programs at no additional cost (except meals).

When boards want specific training for their full board, CABE’s Field Service programs are an important benefit to CABE members. Most of the individual board training available to CABE member boards of education is a service included in your district’s dues. There are usually no additional costs for member districts.

CABE Field Service trainers, some of CABE’s Senior Staff, include former board of education members, attorneys and policy experts. Several of our trainers are recognized nationally for their expertise in board leadership and have presented at national conferences.

Some of the key areas with which

CABE trainers work with boards include: • Board/Superintendent roles and responsibilities • Board/Superintendent relationship • Board self-evaluation • Superintendent evaluation • District and Board goal setting • Community engagement • Effective use of data to make decisions • Effective meetings/governance issues • Mission/Vision statements.

CABE staff also facilitate annual board retreats and work with boards on a variety of issues.

CABE’s Senior Staff is willing to work with boards in areas that don’t fit into a specific category. If your board needs assistance, they will gladly talk with you to determine the most effective solution.

CABE is one of several states that participates in the multi-state Lighthouse Project. This program is designed to take research on effective board governance that leads to improved student achievement and help boards learn to apply that information to better focus the board’s work.

Participating in the Lighthouse Project involves a commitment of time from a board of education, but the results show the district’s improvement. Over 20 districts have participated in the Lighthouse Project at one level or another.

I recommend that you consider actively participating in CABE professional development. In participating, I have gained knowledge and have met people from across the State who also see the value of leading a learning organization by participating in learning activities. You can’t afford NOT to participate!

with the ongoing work of CABE’s Diversity Committee.

Work on a number of complex issues will continue in the interim, with a working group to study and make recommendations concerning issues related to search and seizure of student’s personal electronic devices, as well as task forces to examine

high school interscholastic athletics programs and student data privacy.

CABE’s Government Relations, State Relations and Resolutions Committees will work throughout the summer developing resolutions for the November 15, CABE Delegate Assembly.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Robert Mitchell | President, Montville Donald Harris | First Vice President, Bloomfield Elizabeth Brown | Vice President for Government Relations, Waterbury Christopher Wilson | V ice President for Professional Development, Bristol Michael Purcaro | Secretary/Treasurer, Ellington Ann Gruenberg | I mmediate Past President, Hampton Bryan Hall | Member at Large, East Hartford Lydia Tedone | NSBA Director, Simsbury AREA DIRECTORS Jonathan Moore | Area 1 Co-Director, Region 1 Michelle Lucian | Area 1 Co-Director, Plymouth Bryan Hall | Area 2 Director, East Hartford Michael Purcaro | Area 3 Co-Director, Ellington Michele Arn | Area 3 Co-Director, Vernon Joan Trivella | Area 4 Director, Brooklyn Mic helle Embree Ku | A rea 5 Co-Director, Newtown Frances Walton | Area 5 Co-Director, Ridgefield Jennifer Dayton | Area 6 Co-Director, Greenwich Karen Kleine | Area 6 Co-Director, Westport George Kurtyka | Area 7 Director, Derby Sean Nugent | Area 9 Director, Preston ASSOCIATES Eileen Baker | Associate, Old Saybrook Robert Guthrie | Associate, West Haven John Prins | Associate, Branford Robert Trefry | Associate, CT Technical High School System COMMITTEE CHAIRS Becky Tyrrell | Chair, Federal Relations, Plainville Bryan Hall | Chair, Resolutions, East Hartford Jennifer Dayton | Chair, State Relations, Greenwich CITY REPRESENTATIVES Jacqueline Heftman | C ity Representative, Stamford Charles Stango | City Representative, Waterbury STAFF

Robert Rader | Executive Director Patrice McCarthy | Deputy Director and General Counsel Rebecca Adams | Senior Staff Attorney Nicholas Caruso | Senior Staff Associate for Field Service and Coordinator of Technology Sheila McKay | Senior Staff Associate for Government Relations Vincent Mustaro | Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service Lisa Steimer | Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications Teresa Costa | Coordinator of Finance and Administration Pamela Brooks | S enior Administrative Associate for Policy Service and Search Services Terry DeMars | Administrative Associate for Policy Service Gail Heath | Administrative Associate for Government Relations Wilmarie Newton | Administrative Associate for Labor Relations Nancy Propfe | Administrative Assistant for Membership Services Corliss Ucci | Receptionist and Assistant to 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) 5717446. 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/ page.cfm?p=1024

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY

CABE Affiliate Members BUSINESS AFFILIATES DIAMOND MEMBER Finalsite GOLD MEMBERS

Berchem Moses PC Pullman & Comley Shipman & Goodwin Support for the Budgetary Process SILVER MEMBERS Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Arthur J. Gallagher & Company Corporate Cost Control Digital Back Office Milone & MacBroom, Inc. Duhl & Grello PC BRONZE PLUS MEMBERS Cohen & Wolf, P.C. Coordinated Transportation Solutions Friar Associates JCJ Architecture Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C. Milliman, Inc. O & G Industries OneDigital Health and Benefits The S/L/A/M Collaborative BRONZE MEMBERS Albert Risk Management Consultants Brown & Brown Insurance Chinni & Meuser LLC Dattco Inc. ECG Engineering, PC Fusfoo Media LLC Goldstein & Peck, P.C. The Lexington Group Perkins & Eastman Solutions Employee Assistance Program Sources4Teachers Suisman Shapiro Attorneys at Law Zangari Cohn Cuthbertson

EDUCATIONAL AFFILIATES

American School for the Deaf Area Cooperative Educational Services Capitol Region Education Council The College Board Connecticut Association for the Gifted Connecticut Association of School Business Officials Connecticut Center for School Change Connecticut School Buildings and Grounds Association Connecticut Technical High Schools Cooperative Educational Services EASTCONN EdAdvance Interdistrict School for the Arts and Communications (ISAAC) LEARN Unified School District #1

Stand in Other’s Shoes Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE

I attended the second meeting of SDE’s “Examining Unconscious Bias in the Hiring and Selection Process” on April 27. SDE has been bringing together a number of city districts to discuss these issues.

One of the most interesting aspects of this meeting was the filling out of a survey by each attendee, the “White Privilege Worksheet”. It was based on the article “White Privilege and Male Privilege” by Dr. Peggy McIntosh (1989), former associate director of the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) and founder of the National SEED Project (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity).

Now, while I was not crazy about the title, it opened my eyes in new ways. The idea of “white privilege” is not an easy concept, but understanding it is critical to helping to right injustices in our society.

So, what is “white privilege”?

It is a belief (some would say “fact”) which suggests that white people in our society have certain advantages as a result of their race. As the majority of people in our country are white and have been in positions of power throughout our history, society naturally provides whites with certain advantages that have to be “earned”, if they are possessed at all, by people of color.

Dr. McIntosh said that privilege “exists when one group has something of value that is denied to others simply because of the groups they belong to, rather than because of anything they’ve done or failed to do. Access to privilege doesn’t determine one’s outcomes, but it is definitely an asset that makes it more likely that whatever talent, ability, and aspirations a person with privilege has will result in something positive for them.”

The survey gives a person an opportunity to “stand in the shoes” of others, just by reading the questions.

It strengthens understanding of white and male privilege by the reader’s assumption that those who are not privileged have been faced by the situations in the questions.

Here are some of the sample questions (the whole survey can be found at http://crc-global.org/wp-content/ uploads/2012/06/white-privilege.pdf.)

The rating system was 5, which meant “always true for you”, 3 for “sometimes true for you” or 0 for “rarely true for you.”

We were told to answer the questions as we saw ourselves as white or persons of color: z I can, if I wish, arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time. z I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me. z When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is. z I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race. z I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods which fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair. z Whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance that I am financially reliable. z I can swear, or dress in secondhand clothes, or not answer letters without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race. z I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race. z I am never asked to speak for all the people in my racial group. z I can remain oblivious to the language and customs of persons of color who constitute the world’s majority without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion. z If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race. z I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race. z I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out of place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance, or feared. z I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having coworkers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race. z I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skin.

When we had finished filling out the survey, attendees were asked to stand in order of their scores, from

highest (which would suggest more answers of “always true” or “sometimes true”) to those with the lowest scores, indicating more scores of “rarely true for you”.

Not surprisingly, attendees separated by race. All people of color tended to have lower scores, while whites had higher scores, even among those of us who see ourselves as more “liberal” in general.

I thought about what this meant.

While no one test can show where a person is on all matters of this type, it made me think of what it must feel like to be a person of color (we keep away from “minority” because, in parts of the country, the minority is now the “majority”). Even when I decided to retake the test as a “minority”, specifically Jewish, my scores remained high.

Privilege and Empathy One of the most important and powerful emotional intelligence skills is “empathy”. Dr. Daniel Goleman has written that empathy “means having the ability to sense others’ feelings and how they see things. You take an active interest in their concerns. You pick up cues to what’s being felt and thought.

With empathy, you sense unspoken emotions. You listen attentively to understand the other person’s point of view, the terms in which they think about what’s going on.”

Empathy is critical to building consensus and being sensitive to the needs of others. For Board members and Superintendents, taking or, at least reading the White Privilege Worksheet will, for a moment, let you stand in the shoes of others.

How you use the knowledge gained from an exercise like this will help you become more understanding of others. I hope it will help you and your school district become more sensitive to the needs of ALL students.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

Civility: Finding Common Ground and Solutions Patrice McCarthy

Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE

The resolution adopted by the CABE Delegate Assembly in November 2017 addressing civility grew out of a growing concern about the increasing lack of civility in all levels of government and aspects of society.

At CABE’s urging, the National School Boards Association (NSBA), Delegate Assembly also adopted the resolution this spring.

The rationale for this resolution is that our democracy, based on processes that consider the rights of the majority and protect the minority, was founded on the principles of civil discourse and compromise. It is imperative that our society find common ground and solutions to the challenges we face, including those in public education.

There is a great need to develop the problem-solving skills in our students.

Civility is a key element of a positive school climate and culture.

A lack of civility interferes with the ability of public officials to fulfill their leadership roles, and with a student’s ability to learn.

In the resolution, CABE calls upon public officials to model public discourse, while also urging school boards to provide opportunities to develop their skills in civility. The student walk-outs on March 14 were a wonderful example of student voice exercised in a civil manner. Rather than disrupting the educational experience, the walk-outs, walk-ins and forums held that day were a meaningful educational experience.

The value of teaching our students civility is in both developing them as future citizens and also reducing school violence. Developing empathy, training in problem-solving, anger management and self-esteem, supporting students who stand in opposition to harassment and hurtful speech, and developing skills to resolve differences and deescalate tense situations are important elements of the educational experience.

Connecticut school districts are not alone in recognizing the need to address the issue of civility. In the state of Washington, Mercer Island and Issaquah School Districts recently adopted policies dealing with civil

communication. In addition to the policies that provide ground rules for communication among teachers, parents and students, the districts are providing training for staff and the community to support implementation of the policy.

Among the strategies to increase civility is a focus on issues, not individuals, and offering solutions rather than placing blame.

There are deep divisions in our country today which are contributing to the decline in civil discourse. Our democracy only flourishes by the free exchange of ideas. In addition to the academics, we must support the social development of our students to enable them to become productive members of our democracy. That has always been a function of our public schools and continues to be important today.

Developing the skills to discuss and disagree with others in a productive manner is critical. The instant communication and dissemination of views by social media exacerbate the tensions. In a climate of incivility, intimidation, threats, harassment, discrimination, cyber-bullying and

violence are much more likely.

Adults must begin by modeling the behaviors we wish to develop in our students. Vin Mustaro, CABE’s Senior Staff Associate for Policy Services, has developed a model policy addressing these issues.

“Civility means a great deal more than just being nice to one another. It is complex and compasses learning how to connect successfully and live well with others, developing thoughtfulness, and fostering effective self-expression and communication.” (Choosing Civility: The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate Conduct, Pier Massimo Forni.)

Increasing incivility is also making it more difficult to recruit individuals to serve in local government. We know of numerous instances where qualified individuals when asked to serve in local office have declined because of the toxic environment.

We have an individual and collective responsibility to restore civility.

CABE is putting together a tool-kit and other resources to assist boards of education in addressing this issue in their communities.

Is Your Entire Community Represented?

Robert Rader

Executive Director, CABE

One of the most important issues affecting public education concerns the impact of the growing percentage of students of color in our schools. In Connecticut, from 2011-12 until 2016-17, the percentage of students represented in racial or ethnic minorities has increased from 39.5 percent to 45.2%, while the number of students decreased by 3.5 percent.

As stated in our positions, CABE “urges local political parties to seek school candidates who are committed to candidates who are committed to student achievement and representative of the entire community.” (my emphasis added).

Thus, if communities are mostly of color, there should be a significant number of people of color on their boards. We are not in favor of any stiff quorum, but it makes sense to ensure all populations have some say in the governance of the district. This will ensure continuity, buyin and stability over time.

There also is research that indicates that when there are people of color on school boards, there is more of a chance that policies and regulations adopted in a district will be more sensitive to the needs of students of color. At the very least, teachers and board members should have cultural competence in order to provide the best education possible for students.

As a result of demographic change in Connecticut and the need to consider the future for school boards, the CABE Diversity Committee, chaired by Donald Harris and with the assistance of Mary Broderick, has focused on the issue of the

number of board members of color in the State.

We found through a survey done by UConn’s Neag School in 2017, that, with a 44 percent response rate from board chairs, approximately 90 percent of board members in our State are white, 5 percent are African-American and 2 percent are Hispanic/Latino. For the reasons set out above, we are concerned about these numbers. The other 3 percent were mostly American Indian or Alaska Native.

In order to support school boards as they navigate significant demographic shifts and ensure schools are responsive to the needs of their students and communities, the Diversity Committee disseminated an “Opportunity” for districts to sign up to help us pilot both a draft Equity Toolkit and conversations on these issues in their communities. The Committee will begin work with four districts; we were pleasantly surprised that least seven interested districts contacted us.

This Diversity work is funded by generous grants from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation and the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund.

We look forward to offering these tools to more districts in the future. We will certainly keep our members up-todate as we move forward.

When I worked with other executive directors of state school boards associations to help the NSBA envision what school boards would look like in 2025, I looked for research on the percentage of board members of color. I found, based on a small NSBA survey that, nationally, African American board members amounted to about 12 percent of all board

members, comparable to the percentage of African Americans in the country (but, I believe the South leads the North in th epercentage of Board members of color).

The overall Hispanic population in the country was about 12 percent as well, but Hispanic board members amounted to only about 4 percent of board members.

A new NSBA-K-12 Insight survey gives us a more accurate estimate of the percentage of Black and Latino board members, though it remains an estimate.

It also provided information on other board demographics and priorities.

NSBA-K12 Insight polled over 9,000 school leaders across the country.

Eighty-two percent of responses came from board members; superintendents accounted for approximately 15 percent.

With 1,470 responses, NSBA learned the following*: • 78 percent of the self-selected participants were white; 10 percent were “African or Black” and 3 percent were “Hispanic or Latino(a)”. I spoke with NSBA Education Innovation Director Dr. Ann Flynn, about these results and extrapolating them for the percentage of board members of color in the country. While there may be some question as to whether the figures could be used in that way with precision, previous surveys of board members nationally showed approximately the same general percentages.

• When asked what best describes their occupation, about a quarter of respondents said “Education, Training, and Library Services” and the next highest with 11 percent were in “Business and Financial” occupations.

• About a third had a Bachelor’s degree,

36 percent had a Master’s and 10 percent had a doctorate. No one said they had not finished high school.

• Sixteen percent of Board members reported that they worked more than 40 hours a month on school board business, 24 percent said 25-40 hours and 28 percent said 15-24 hours. 25 percent said they spent 14 hours or less.

• For ranking their priorities as far as “People”, the number one rank was “Having a workforce that can educate a diverse student population” second was “Addressing potential teacher shortages” and third was “Preparing teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum.”** • In ranking their priorities for “Finance,” the top three responses were “Ensuring the district is fiscally sustainable despite potential decreases in federal and state funding”. Next was “Offering a competitive salary to your workforce” and, tying for third, were “Ensuring funds are available to maintain existing buildings” and “Distributing funds based on student need.”** • For “Enhancing Education”, the highest score was for “Teaching 21st Century skills (critical thinking, collaboration, evaluating information for validity, the ability to solve non-routine problems, etc)”; next was “Improving achievement of a diverse student population”; and, third was “Personalizing learning for all students.” *Other responses were not included due to length of this article. **Respondents were asked to rate their top three items they think should be priorities for their board.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

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See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education Budget Cuts: Professional Development, Furloughs and More in Executive Session 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.

The Nutmeg Board of Education finally has a budget for the 2018-2019 school year. Difficult as the process was, however, the hard work for the Board of Education was now beginning. Somehow, somewhere, the Nutmeg Board of Education must find savings in the amount of $2,000,000 in the budget reconciliation process.

Ms. Superintendent knows that the only way to find the necessary reductions will be to cut both programs and staff, but even she was daunted by the scope of the task. By contrast, veteran Board member Bob Bombast is a font of ideas, good and bad, and he is not shy about sharing them.

“Let’s start with some furloughs for teachers,” Bob began grandly at the last meeting of the Board. “We have six days in the calendar for professional development for whatever that is worth. Who wouldn’t like some time off instead?”

Board members Penny Pincher and Red Cent nodded in agreement, but Mal Content was not convinced.

“Don’t we have to negotiate with the Nutmeg Union of Teachers about this? I don’t know why they would just agree to take a pay cut.”

Bob was unfazed. “NUTS will agree if it knows what is good for its members. Besides, I am just warming up. We will certainly have to cut staff and programs too. World language in elementary school, for example, is a luxury we can longer afford.”

“Hold on, Bob,” Mal Content interrupted. “We should have this discussion in executive session. We don’t want teachers reading in the paper that the Board is considering the elimination of their positions.”

“For once, Mal, you make a good point,” Bob responded, and on Bob’s motion, the Board promptly convened in executive session to discuss “personnel matters.” Once the Board was in executive session, Bob continued.

“We need to make some serious reductions, and world language is a great place to start. With Google translation, we certainly don’t have to clutter our minds learning foreign languages.”

Penny Pincher chimed in. “I agree with Bob, but I am concerned that getting rid of world language at the elementary school will not be nearly enough to close the $2,000,000 shortfall. What else can we do?”

“Let’s get rid of art in the elementary school as well,” Bob responded.

“Elementary teachers can just take care of art instruction as well.”

“With all due respect, Bob, I am not sure that even eliminating world language and art instruction at the elementary level will be enough,” Ms. Superintendent said.

“Well, it’s a good start,” Bob responded. “We will show our good faith to the Town Fathers, and if despite our efforts we run out of money, we can just ask for a supplemental appropriation. Who’s in?”

Other than Mal, who seems to oppose everything, the Board members agreed to go ahead with Bob’s plan. The Nutmeg Board of Education reconvened into public session and announced that teachers would be furloughed for six days next year and that elementary art and world language will not be taught as separate subjects anymore, starting in September.

Problem solved?

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Sadly no. Dealing with budget cuts is always a challenge, but the actions that the Board took as Bob recommended are problematic in many ways.

First, as to the furloughs, there is good news and bad news and more bad news. The good news is that the Connecticut State Teachers’ Retirement Board has ruled that taking a furlough day (thus foregoing a day’s pay) does not reduce “annual salary” for the purposes of calculating pension benefits (as long as the contribution is made for the salary that would otherwise have been earned). However, a furlough day is a change in working conditions, and before the Board can go through with this plan, it must negotiate with NUTS, which may or may not go along. As to the bad news, even when a furlough day (or more) is negotiated, boards of education must keep in mind that the savings this year will have to be made up in the budget next year just to get back to zero before considering any increases for that year.

The other bad news about the Board’s plan is that the Board is required by law to provide at least eighteen hours of professional development opportunities for its teachers. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-148a. The non-instructional days are typically when such professional development opportunities are provided. However, with the proposed scheduling of furlough days on these days, it is not clear how or when the Nutmeg Board of Education will fulfill its responsibilities to provide professional development.

The elimination of world language and art instruction at the elementary level also poses problems. The

curricular impact of such action is a great concern, of course, but there are practical labor relations implications that the Nutmeg Board should also keep in mind. Presumably, elementary teachers receive preparation time when special teachers, including world language and art teachers, are teaching their students. If so, the Board will have somehow to assure that these teachers will still receive preparation time in accordance with the contract.

If preparation time is simply set by practice, the Board will have to negotiate over a change in that practice before going ahead with its decision.

Moreover, if elementary teachers will now be responsible for teaching art, NUTS may demand impact bargaining over the change.

With due regard for the challenge of making necessary cuts to bring the budget into balance after town reductions, Bob’s suggestion that the Board can simply ask for a supplemental appropriation later presents two problems. First, the statutes provide for board accountability in making line item transfers during the year, and starting the year with a projected deficit conflicts with that statutory expectation. Moreover, notably absent from

the statutory provision for requesting a supplementary appropriation is any guarantee that the additional funds will be provided. Given the uncertainty of any supplemental appropriation, boards of education must begin the year with a budget that conforms to the funds available.

Finally, the Board’s decision to discuss budget cuts in executive session violated the law. While budget cuts may affect personnel, the executive session privilege applies only to the discussion of specific individual employees, and then only if after notice they do not require that the discussion as to them be held in open session.

Moreover, the Freedom of Information Commission has held repeatedly that citing “personnel matters” as a reason to enter executive session violates the FOIA because it fails adequately to apprise the public of the business to be transacted.

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 Ninth Edition – Now Available!

A Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law

by Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin

CABE is delighted to announce that the Ninth Edition of Tom Mooney’s Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law is now available.

PRICING: CABE Members: $54.99; CABE Non-Members: $79.99; Students: $44.99 There have been many changes in school law in the last few years, and the Ninth Edition has been extensively revised to provide updated guidance on the legal issues that govern our schools. Changes include descriptions and commentary on:

• Changes in teacher evaluation and teacher tenure.

• New rules regarding employee background checks.

• New requirements concerning student data privacy.

• New rules for suspension, expulsion and alternative educational opportunities.

• Revised requirements governing seclusion and restraint.

• The new “Every Student Succeeds Act” and how it has changed “No Child Left Behind Act” requirements.

• The CCJEF case and ongoing litigation over equal educational opportunities.

• The Minimum Budget Requirement and new duties to collaborate with town officials.

• A host of other changes in the rules that boards of education and school administrators must follow.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

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SUPERINTENDENTS’ ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS SPRING MEETING

CABE Executive Director Robert Rader welcomes meeting participants.

CABE Sr. Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications Lisa Steimer introduces Jay Salerno, Director of Educational Newington’s Director of Educational Technology Jay Salerno and Technology in Newington Digital Content Specialist Kaitlyn Norton presented a session on who presented on Google. Google to more than 50 meeting participants.

CABE Deputy Director and General Counsel Patrice McCarthy provides a legislative update.

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor: We have decades of achievement scores that show that we have four types of learners in our schools.

1. The typical “middle-class” child who comes from a stable home with literacy, culture and physical and emotional caring. These children achieve at a rate of 70 to 80% of their population.

2. Transitional children. Children from good homes where English may be a second language or there may be some cultural differences but the family is intact; and although economics may be low; the social capital and middle-class values that these children come to us with, allow us to believe they too will achieve at that same 70 to 80 percent rate.

3. Special Ed. children. We have come a long way in Special Ed. Thus

BOARD FREEZES DUES

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place in even-numbered years) and the Summer Leadership Conference. There was no SDE financial support in FY 2017-18 and no support from SDE is expected for the upcoming year.

CABE Staff also will continue to search for other sources of revenue. The Board also noted that the Staff has lost two full-time members over the last few years.

The Board also: • recognizing that the meeting date was Administrative Professionals’ Day, unanimously adopted a resolution extending its “appreciation to CABE’s administrative office professionals for their dedication and hard work. They are a valued part of the CABE team”; • heard a legislative report from Vice President Elizabeth Brown, Patrice McCarthy and Sheila Mc Kay on t h e L e g i s l at i ve Session, including information

the children in Connecticut are wellserved and the vast majority of them are achieving appropriate goals.

4. Up to 20 percent of white children living in challenging environments in suburban school districts are failing, in the cities that number can be between 60 to 70 percent. These children do not qualify for special education since they do not have apparent neurological or intellectual needs.

They are children without strong parent advocates, children with unsteady lives, and high mobility.

These proportions have not changed in decades. We have expended millions and millions of dollars changing curriculum, creating magnet schools, charter schools, teacher training, all of which benefited the first three groups and have shown no benefit to our most needy population. We on the State budget, students’ right to privacy with their mobile electronic devices, minority teacher retirement and disruptive classroom behavior; and • h eard reports from First Vice President Donald Harris, who

are now in our sixth year of alliance district supplemental funding with no changes in the ratios. No school district has seen fit to appropriately mourn the situations these children and their families must endure and ergo no real systemic changes have been produced.

These children require a revolution in our educational system that goes well beyond the addition of reading teachers, motivational teachers or STEM. They require a groundup change. These children fail first because they’re coming to school with a poor self-image, a lack of belief in themselves. Many come from homes where literacy is lacking and where there is emotional, social injustice. So when they enter the room and meet well-dressed, literate, happy, self-confident children, they face a very ugly chairs the CABE Diversity Committee, the Executive Director, the Membership Committee (chaired by NSBA Director Lydia Tedone); the Professional Development Committee (chaired

by Vice President for Professional

CABE Sr. Staff Attorney Rebecca Adams talks about a variety of legal issues of interest.

reality and that is, they are not like these children. For these children our schools must play its “in loco parentis” role to the fullest.

These children need loving and caring more than they need academics. They need to be shown and ultimately get to believe that they are beautiful valuable and lovable. It is then that they will see themselves as capable and at that point they will become learners. These children are the 21st Century special needs children they need an education different from our present offerings, because they are “significantly different from the norm”.

We can no longer ignore them or simply apply token remedies, it is time for an educational revolution.

Matthew Borrelli, Retired Administrator, West Hartford Public Schools D e ve l opm e nt C h r i stoph er Wilson) and Area Directors.

The next meeting of the Board of Directors will take place on June 5th, when the budget is to be formally approved.

The CABE Board of Directors, led by President Robert Mitchell (Montville), met on April 25.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

Google Complies with CT Student Privacy Law Agreement Helps Protect School Technology Investments and Commitment to Innovation

Douglas Casey.

Executive Director, Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology

The Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology and Google recently announced that the technology giant has adopted legal assurances allowing public schools to continue using its educational software and devices. The new addendum — aligning with the Commission’s Student Data Privacy Pledge and developed in close collaboration with the legal team of Connecticut’s Department of Administrative Services (DAS) — brings Google’s terms of service into compliance with state law. By July 1 of this year, that statute requires companies with access to, or in possession of, student data to provide specific assurances regarding records ownership, breach notifications, and other matters of concern to students, families, and

schools.

The news comes as a huge relief to public school districts, virtually all of which rely on Google’s free software and low-cost Chromebook computers for teaching and learning. “Google tools and technology are woven into the fabric of how we prepare our students for college and career,” stated Charles Dumais, Superintendent of Amity (Region 5) Public Schools, member of the Commission for Educational Technology, and co-chair of the technology committee for the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS).

“Not having this addendum and the all-clear to continue using Google would have forced districts to abandon their technology investments and start from scratch in running 21st Century schools.”

Most public school students have district-issued Google accounts,

which provide access to the “G Suite” of authoring and collaboration tools.

Teachers rely on that software as well as Google Classroom to deliver and manage digital learning resources, assignments, and tests. With most Connecticut high schools and middle schools issuing laptops — usually Chromebooks — to students, this combination of free software and affordable devices has made 24/7 digital learning a reality.

“Google’s compliance demonstrates a real commitment to protect student data, records, and content through reasonable assurances that we defined in the law,” offered State Representative Gail Lavielle (R), Ranking Member of the General Assembly’s Education Committee. “This news should encourage other educational technology providers to adopt similar terms,” added State Representative Cristin McCarthy Vahey (D), also of

the Education Committee. “Schools depend on technology to innovate and scale personalized learning, which can happen at the same time we protect student information.”

This announcement comes as part of a concerted effort by the Commission for Educational Technology to support districts and technology providers in complying with the state’s student data privacy law. In 2017, the Commission launched the Connecticut Educational Software Hub (StudentPrivacy.CT.gov), a searchable registry of software from companies that have signed the Connecticut Student Data Privacy Pledge. The Hub now lists more than 100 products, including those from other major educational technology companies such as Microsoft and PowerSchool.

For more information, contact Doug Casey at (860) 622-2224 or doug. casey@ct.gov.

Seymour Blocks Hackers Dale Bruckhart.

VP for Sales and Marketing, Digital BackOffice

Law enforcement statistics tell us that professional burglars case an area or neighborhood prior to selecting high value targets with low risk.

Digital burglars also prefer anonymity, concealment and time to test the target defenses and case networks for high value personal data like social security numbers, driver licenses, birth dates, addresses, passwords, etc.

Seymour First Selectman, Kurt Miller, realized that hackers were casing the town and school district networks after reviewing a Security Lifecycle Report (SLR) prepared by Digital BackOffice. The SLR identified hacking and probing activity from

Russia, North Korea, China, Ireland, the Middle East, the United States and many other counties. Internet browsing, social media, email, business applications and business databases generate a lot of data traffic. Digital burglars may case a network for weeks or even months to identify and steal high value data or plant ransomware that will pay off with Bitcoin.

“Seymour’s older firewall and password access controls were increasingly ineffective as newer hacking techniques and malware allows hackers to penetrate our network without our knowledge”, said Rob Dyer, Director of Technology for Seymour Public Schools and the Town of Seymour. For example, commandand-control (CnC) activity can indicate a computer on the network

has been infected by malware, and may be attempting to connect outside of the network to malicious actors. The Palo Alto Next Generation firewall identifies the activity associated with casing the network or planting ransomware and prevents it from executing and communicating with a malicious host.

“Perimeter security solutions must detect and prevent threats to mitigate risk from known and unknown attackers. To minimize administrative overhead, the firewall can automatically re-program itself, creating new protections for emerging, unknown threats, sourced from a global community of other Palo Alto customers and the Cyber Threat Alliance”, said Francis Palacio, President of Digital BackOffice.

“It’s time that we acknowledge the importance of digital security and fund it adequately”, said First Selectman Miller. “High value public databases contain personal data including voter registrations, student records, student birth dates, social security numbers, home addresses and digital signatures.

Digital burglars are casing public and K-12 education networks and we’re not even aware of this activity.

Digital BackOffice and Palo Alto Networks provide the town and the school district with a proactive, prevention solution to our digital security challenges.”

Advanced Corporate Networking (dba Digital BackOffice) is a Silver Level CABE Business Affiliate.

Patrice McCarthy presented on school safety policies at the Rhode Island Association of School Committees (RIASC) Annual Meeting on May 5.

Left to right: Chris Hocker, C.E.S. Board President (and Region 9 BOE member); Scott Griffin, C.E.S. Marketing and PR specialist; and C.E.S. Executive Director Dr. Evan Pitkoff receive a Bonnie B. Carney Award of Excellence Award from CABE Area Director Michelle Embree Ku (Newtown).

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

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Preston Approaches English Learners Differently Chris Seymour.

Reporter, CABE

When it comes to teaching its English language learners, Preston does things a little differently.

The relatively small district — which has 454 students in an elementary and middle school — integrates its English language learners into mainstream classes, where they receive a healthy dose of on-the-spot support.

This year, Preston has 10 English learner (EL) students who speak languages like Spanish, Japanese and Persian.

“Those kids are in regular classrooms and they are supported where needed,” said Preston Superintendent Roy Seitsinger, Jr., PhD. “A para educator might be supportive of them — trying to check for comprehension and fluency as the teacher goes about the day — and the teacher might also in small groups and individually pull them aside,” said Seitsinger.

“And of course we have a Spanish teacher—we teach Spanish at our elementary level—so we have a Spanish teacher who for Spanish can go in and support students informally and also through her Spanish classroom,” he added.

Of the 10 EL students, Seitsinger said most are at the elementary level

(Preston has one elementary, one middle school and sends its high school students to other towns).

Their English fluency can vary, noted the superintendent. “Even though it is a relatively small number, there is a range,” said Seitsinger. “We have some students who do very well in English and others who struggle a bit.”

Regardless of their level, the EL students are assessed when they come into Preston and then receive ample support.

“We have a teacher who oversees the screening of EL students and the testing of EL students and their placement,” added Seitsinger. “And we have a team who reviews the placement of those students. We do not have a full time EL teacher because the number of students is low enough so that we can support them within the classroom.”

Sometimes the district has to bring in a translation service. “We use a translation service, when needed, to support communication and materials preparation for students and families,” said Seitsinger. “Also, from time to time, there may be a family member who can speak English and is willing to sit in on meetings and assist in other ways.”

One of the first things Preston does when EL students start attending classes is make sure they’re comfortable.

“That’s an important part of our work: we get them as comfortable as possible no matter what their English fluency level is and then start learning what their range is, what their capacity is … moving them forward,” said Seitsinger.

“So no matter what the student level is, if we have an identified EL student, that’s the way we approach it: how can we best serve the student in their environment?” explained Seitsinger. “And we try to keep them as close to all of their classmates as possible and still provide them support as they learn English.”

Seitsinger said the level of support received by individual students varies.

“It depends on the needs of the student; they might have some intensive support if they really are struggling with English,” he said.

“But the whole idea is we try to bring them in and acclimate them as much as possible and respect that they are in an environment they are not used to and they need to be welcomed in to be integrated into the classroom, to establish friendships and relationships and comfort around classroom routines—all that matters,” he added.

According to Seitsinger, students whose native tongue is English are supportive and welcoming of their EL counterparts.

After the EL students get comfortable, “Then you address the

language,” he continued. “You can’t learn if you aren’t comfortable so you’ve got to get that done first—and our staff does an excellent job of that.

And then day-to-day we monitor all the students and bring the resources that they need to have to them and we try not to separate them—they are a part of the classroom.”

This year, like other districts around Connecticut, Preston had students arrive from Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria last fall.

“We had a family arrive that was seriously disrupted by the storm in Puerto Rico, and we treated them just like we would treat anybody else,” said Seitsinger. “And they were struggling; they had to stay with some family.

They were of course going through a very difficult time, so we even had some teachers volunteer to get them classroom materials and clothes.”

Preston provided the family and students as much support as needed.

“I had the opportunity to meet with the children and the mother and we supported them,” he said.

“It was a really excellent community effort and we welcomed them in, and they’re just part of our community; and they have had, as far as I can tell, an excellent experience,” the superintendent added. “And they are finishing out this year but they have stabilized their lives and they’re going to be moving on.”

From the Connecticut State Department of Education’s 2016-2017 Condition of Public Education.

The Executive Committees of CABE and CCM met again on May 1 to further discuss ways the two organizations can work together to benefit the members of both organizations.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

The Media Message

by Ann Baldwin, Baldwin Media Marketing, LLC

The Ugly Side of Social Media As a crisis communications firm that handles school crises throughout the state, it is no surprise to us that negativity often begins or grows on social media. One of the top five questions that our firm gets from our education clients is, “What do we do about negative posts on social media?”

We recommend you: • Make sure your district’s social media channels are monitored on a regular basis. You need to stay abreast of conversations that are happening on social media, especially when you are in crisis mode. If you are able, it is wise to appoint one full-time person to monitor the chatter on social media.

• Respond to posts as soon as

possible. If inappropriate behavior is occurring on your district’s social media accounts, a district administrator needs to step in as the administrator and put the rumors and negativity to rest.

Remind your contributors that you want to keep a polite open forum.

If they have any concerns, it is more productive to contact you directly.

• Remember that the impact of words and online discussions will affect your district’s overall message. Social media posts are also fair game for reporters who will not hesitate to include them in their news stories. Just as you would deliver a factual and concise message in an “on-the-record” interview, you need to do the same when

posting on social media sites.

If you happen to have a vocal minority speaking out against a particular subject, this may also be the time for you to engage your supporters.

Inform supporters of the situation.

Perhaps they will be willing to comment back or attend Board meetings to voice their support. This is a good way to help balance the negative comments with the real story.

With the right approach, you can better manage the “ugly” of social media and transform your platforms to be a place that people go for the factual story about your district.

As always, if you are having any trouble dealing with negativity on social media or a potential crisis situation, call us at Baldwin Media at 860-408-1580.

People in the News Fran Rabinowitz, Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS) was recently awarded the Center for Children’s Advocacy Champion of Children 2018 Award. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor!

CAPSS Executive Director Fran Rabinowitz with fellow honoree AbdulRahmaan I Muhammad with their Champion of Children Awards.

(Photo couresy of Baldwin Media Marketing.)

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

The Policy Corner Vincent A. Mustaro

Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE

Boards Need to Practice Policy Oversight As the conclusion of another school year rapidly approaches, it is important to note that the policy responsibilities of boards of education do not end, but remain ongoing. The recent conclusion of the Legislative Session, as previously, results in the need for boards of education to revise some existing policies and/or develop and adopt new policies.

CABE will provide assistance to boards to meet this ongoing crucial responsibility. Remember that the board’s policy manual is a living document. High functioning and successful school boards are always working on policy, even during the summer, as it is the backbone of the district and one of the board’s core responsibilities.

Board members, as educational leaders in their communities, have definite ideas about what should be accomplished and the desired student learning outcomes. Through effective boardsmanship, firmly rooted in district policy, boards contribute to student success. The key elements of vision, structure, accountability and advocacy help boards determine school system progress. Accountability is the key element of effective boardsmanship because the board is accountable for student learning.

The time worn phrase, “It’s the board’s role to make policy and the administrator’s role to implement policy,” is well known. However, it is imperative to add to this phrase the crucial understanding that it is necessary to keep policies up-to-date. It is also “the board’s role to oversee its policies.”

A board which governs through a process of policy oversight and review is in a good position to work with the administration to successfully influence student achievement. A board, through policy, determines what it wants to see accomplished in the district. The major focus must be high student achievement.

After adopting policies and setting district goals and objectives, it is essential that policy be disseminated, implemented, monitored, evaluated and revised as necessary. This is policy oversight, a systematic process to ensure that public monies produce desired levels of educational performance. It also provides useful information for the improvement of district and school performance.

An effective board exercises con-

tinuing oversight of education policy, programs and their management, drawing information for this purpose from many sources. It is also knowing enough to ask the right questions.

Policy oversight is not micromanaging of the district by the board and intruding on the superintendent’s rights and professional responsibilities.

It is an appropriate and recommended practice for a board to monitor, review, evaluate and revise its policies as necessary through policy oversight.

Boards must review policies to determine if they reflect the direction the

are working. A schedule, made a part of the board’s annual board meeting calendar, should be established for presenting the information.

Policy oversight is not an annual review of all board policies nor is it the board’s self-gathering of the information. In policy review, the board basically looks at specific policies for possible change and studies them for possible errors or new directions.

The board cannot and should not be involved in school operation. Therefore, the board’s most effective oversight tools are reports presented by or through the

“ P olicy oversight is a critical responsibility of boards because of the ever increasing demands for accountability and the need for objective data. ” current board wants them to provide.

Once in place, it’s important to determine if a policy is doing what was intended. As the district’s governing body, it is important to know the right questions to ask and not to be afraid to ask them. In exercising policy oversight, a board seeks answers to the timely and important question, “Is this what we want to have happen?”

This process also helps to identify whether a policy is causing, through its implementation, any unintended consequences.

Good information is the primary tool in the oversight process. The information gathering process provides the board with an effective decision making tool. Boards need to put in place a system to ensure timely and well organized information on specific policy implementation as plans are made for board activity for the upcoming school year.

Annually determine, with the superintendent, the type of information the board wants to receive to carry out its policy oversight responsibilities.

In seeking answers to whether the district is accomplishing what it desires through its policy direction, the board needs quantifiable data from its administration. It is necessary to stay informed about how well the policy, and where applicable and in existence, the administrative regulations

superintendent; presentations which answer questions and explain programs and appropriate evaluations, especially of the superintendent.

It is recommended that a board should annually determine the policies it wants to review for effectiveness and request the superintendent to provide any needed information. Included could be a schedule for oversight of educational programs meeting specific state and federal requirements as well as oversight procedures for issues of concern to the local board and community. Four areas where policy oversight is critical are curriculum, students, finances and personnel.

Allow sufficient time at board meetings devoted to a review of educational programs. Work sessions of the board could be scheduled to consider specific educational issues. In addition, staff, through the superintendent, should be invited to present program elements and instructional issues for board review, related to policy.

The superintendent, working with the professional staff, can formulate measures of district performance relative to goals and objectives. This will include state mandated measures as well as specific local performance indices.

Student Learning

Requesting proof of student learning is a major board responsibil-

ity. Many policy areas impact student learning and are prime targets for policy oversight. Boards have the responsibility to provide students safe, educationally sound facilities, adequate equipment and supplies, and a competent instructional and supervisory staff. These need to be in place to achieve demonstrated learning by all students.

The key element remains what happens in the classroom. Therefore, as part of the oversight process, boards must receive and discuss the required annual report from the superintendent pertaining to the effectiveness of the district’s evaluation program.

Board policies are powerful tools for solving district problems and for establishing and achieving district goals. However, unless their implementation is ensured, they are just words on a page. When a board practices policy oversight, which can be both challenging and rewarding, it is exercising an appropriate leadership role and demonstrating its leadership to the staff and community. It also makes policy review a desired ongoing process.

Policy oversight is a critical responsibility of boards because of the evert increasing demands for accountability and the need for objective data. The process has the potential for improving the quality of schools because it determines whether or not a specific policy is producing its intended effects and places the emphasis on performance. Policy oversight means being careful to set realistic goals through policy with sound means of determining how well they are being accomplished.

Remember to ask the right questions!

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities June 12 Collective Bargaining

Hartford Sheraton South, Rocky Hill

August 13 8th Annual Summer Leadership Conference Water’s Edge, Westbrook

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

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High-Quality Preschool and Elementary School Make the Difference Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE

While most everyone agrees that preschool education is of benefit to many children, especially those who are in lower socio-economic situations, one issue has continued to plague educators: the apparent fading of the benefits as children got older.

In many cases, by third grade, students who attended preschool appeared to do no better than those who did not attend such a program. How is it possible to ensure that those who have been through such a program retain the benefits?

An article in the May 1st Education Week, written by Christina A. Samuels, examined this issue. She wrote that two new studies are available that conclude that for “for the positive benefits to last, early-childhood programs have to be of

STATE BOARD MEETING

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additional credits (or demonstration of mastery) in courses with a global focus. These may include history/ social studies courses, language arts courses, courses in the arts, and courses in other disciplines with an international focus.

2. Globally-focused Student Activities: a student must be involved in one or more extracurricular activities each semester for three

high quality and can’t be seen as a oneshot inoculation that will sustain children throughout their academic careers.”

The first study was aimed at determining whether the fadeout happens “because children enroll in in elementary schools that aren’t prepared to sustain their academic gains.” The study’s authors “controlled for measures that are associated with elementary school quality” and used information such as the number of teacher visits to students’ homes and parent orientations to judge quality of the program.

The study’s results, according to Ed Week: “none of those elementary program characteristics made a difference in how quickly the benefits of preschool faded out for students.”

According to the study’s lead author, Associate Professor of Education and Public Policy at the University of Virginia

Daphna Bassok is continuous attention to preschool curriculum and to professional development for teachers. She said that ‘to guarantee a high-quality learning environment for kids, we have to try to focus on the actual experiences that kids have”.

The second study differed from the first by relying on more direct indicia of the quality of the programs, such as “direct assessments of quality made by trained observers who witnessed the child-teacher interactions.”

According to the study’s authors: “the positive benefits of good child care and preschool were sustained through adolescence—as long as the children attended high-quality elementary classes as well.

When the elementary classrooms were of observably lower quality, the benefits of the early-childhood boost again faded out.”

The conclusion of University of Vir-

ginia postdoctoral research associate Arya Ansari, was that elevating “children’s experiences takes more of an investment in the whole early-childhood system”.

Another finding from the study, as reported by Ed Week, is that “only a small fraction of the children studied had high-quality experiences all the way from infancy to elementary school. But the children who had that long-term, high-quality education performed measurably better on tests of literacy and math compared to children whose elementary school classrooms were of moderate or poor quality.”

Ansari said that we have to focus on “the importance of cumulative effects...

Good child care, good preschool, and good elementary school experiences all add up… the challenge is how to ensure that happens… It’s much harder for less-affluent families to get the cumulative benefits” of high quality education.

years that has an international focus.

Activities will vary widely from school to school, and may include activities such as language clubs, Model United Nations, attending lectures, or foreign travel. It is suggested that students spend a minimum of 15 hours per year on these activities.

3. Global Service Learning or Action Project: a student must complete an action project which connects the student to a global community or is related to a global problem. Raising awareness or funds

for an international issue, tutoring a child who is an English learner (EL) or volunteering to assist a specific cultural or linguistic group in the community would all be examples of a successful project. It is suggested that a student spend 20 or more hours on their project, and that a reflective paper/product should be submitted upon completion of the project.

The Board also approved renewal of four charter schools, and heard a report from Sarah Eagan from the Office of the Child Advocate. Eagan

expressed concerns about the wellbeing of students withdrawn from school for home-schooling, and the attendance rates for special needs students. Presentations made during public participation included students from Region 14 describing the success of the art and music programs in the school district, and students from Wallingford describing the “Best Buddies” program and a new initiative for an integrated physical education class that would match special needs students’ with abled bodied peers.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

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:

B y providing opportunities for members to learn how to better govern their districts:

zF acilitated Roles and Responsibilities workshops for the Fairfield, Oxford, North Branford and Newtown Boards of Education. zR esponded to 43 requests for policy information were provided to 25 districts, 1 RESC, 1 newspaper and 1 university on 40 topics. Further, districts continue to access CABE’s online Core Policy Reference Manual and/or online manuals posted by CABE for policy samples. The topics of greatest interest included social media, residency issues, SROs and discipline-related issues. zP articipated in CABE Diversity Committee meeting on selecting pilot districts for our Diversity initiative.

B y helping school boards to increase student achievement:

zP rovided Lighthouse training for the Brooklyn Board of Education. zF acilitated a board retreat for the Region 1 Board of Education. z S ent two issues of “Policy Highlights” via e-mail listserve covering topics that affect student achievement.

This included issues pertaining to graduation requirements and the graduation ceremony, instructional uses of cellphones, and summer school programs.

B y promoting public education:

zP articipated in a legal forum pertaining to special education issues. zA ttended the Center for Children’s Advocacy’s Champion of Children Awards Gala honoring CAPSS Executive Director Fran Rabinowitz.

y ensuring members B receive the most up-to-date communications:

is recruiting for Columbia Superintendent of Schools Consultant: MARY BRODERICK, ED.D SENIOR CONSULTANT For an update or more information on vacancies go to our website: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1176

For more information contact, CABE Search Services, P.O. Box 290252, Wethersfield, CT 06129-0252 860-539-7594 Equal Opportunity Employer

zP repared materials as part of the Custom Policy Service for the Ansonia, Cromwell, New Haven, Norwalk, Plymouth and Region 14 Boards of Education. zM et with Manchester Board Chair Chris Pattacini on CABE services, programs and activities zP resented CABE Bonnie B. Carney Communications Award to the East Hartford Board of Education. zM et individually with: Superintendent from New Britain Nancy Sarra; Superintendent of Region 8 Patricia Law; and Watertown Superintendent Rydell Harrison on CABE services, activities and programs. zM et with Fairfield Board Chair Phil Dwyer and Superintendent Toni Jones about CABE.

y providing services to meet B member needs:

zF acilitated Board Evaluation for the Scotland Board of Education. zD iscussed superintendent evaluation with the Waterbury Board of Education. zD iscussed policy/bylaws with policy committee of the Oxford Board of Education. zP repared materials as part of the Custom Policy Update Service for the East Hampton, East Windsor, New Fairfield, New Hartford, North Stonington and Union Boards of Education. zC ompleted the audit of the policy manual of the Salisbury Public Schools. zC urrently in the process of auditing the manual of the Cornwall and East Haven Public Schools. zC ompleted the placement of the manual of The Gilbert School online using CABE’s Connecticut Online Policy Service. zP rovided legal and legislative update at Superintendents’ Administrative Professionals workshop. zP rovided legislative update for the Enfield Board of Education. zM et with superintendents’ secretaries from Bloomfield and Windsor to begin creating a manual for superintendents’ administrative professionals. zM et with the President of the Connecticut School Public Relations Association (ConnSPRA) to discuss CABE and ConnSPRA

working together to benefit those doing school public relations/ communications.

B y representing Connecticut school boards on the state or national level:

zC haired meeting of ISTE standards integration workgroup for the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology. zA ttended meeting of the CAPSS Technology Committee. zP articipated in the CAPSS Board of Directors Meeting. zP articipated in Special Education Task Force meeting. zA ttended CREC Council meeting. zP articipated in meetings to review minority teacher recruitment legislation. zA ppeared on FOX61 to discuss mandated reporter requirements. zA ttended reception honoring Bloomfield superintendent Dr. James Thompson, Connecticut Superintendent of the Year zP resented workshop on School Security at the Rhode Island Association of School Committees (RIASC) annual meeting. zA ttended CAS Board of Directors meeting. z Participated in What Will Our Children Lose meeting. zA ttended State Board of Education meeting. zR epresented CABE at CASBO Vendor Day. zP articipated in Connecticut Coalition for Public Education meeting. Much of the discussion concerned the Legislative Session. zP articipated in meeting of Steering Group of The Connecticut College and Career Readiness Alliance. zA ttended CT Conference of Municipalities charity event. zA ttended Teacher of the Year Empowered to Lead Symposium. zP articipated in Second SDE workshop on “Examining Unconscious Bias in the Hiring and Selection Process”. z I nterviewed by Rosie O’Brien Vojtek, Ph.D for CT Association of Schools podcast on CABE and the Legislative Session.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018

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UNDERSTANDING CONNECTICUT’S FOIA Lights, Cameras and the FOIA: Are School Videos (and Student Statements) Subject to Disclosure?

Mark J. Sommaruga, Esq.

Commission (“FOIC”) has held that there are circumstances where simply Connecticut’s Freedom of Informa- redacting the names of other students tion Act (“FOIA”) generally provides would not adequately protect student access to records created by public privacy rights. For example, while a agencies (including school districts). school district may have to disclose There is an exception under the FOIA information to a parent concerning his/ that provides that school districts do her own child, the FOIC has found that not have to release those educational a district need not disclose information records (or “personally identifiable in- or records to that parent about the other formation” concerning students) which students involved in a bullying episode are not subject to disclosure under the (without the written permission of all Family Educational Rights and Privacy of the other students’ parents), and thus could withhold from disclosure an enAct (“FERPA”).

While FERPA generally prohibits tire record.1 School districts could meet school districts from disclosing educa- their obligations under FOIA, FERPA tional records or personally identifiable (and laws concerning bullying and hainformation contained in those records rassment) by summarizing the records without parental consent, FERPA also solely as they pertain to a parent’s child.

Similarly, and in light of FERPA and requires that parents have the right to previous formal guidance from the U.S. inspect and review their own child’s education records. These FOIA and Department of Education2; the FOIC has FERPA requirements sometimes collide repeatedly upheld decisions by school when the records of one student contain districts not to release videotapes (for personally identifiable information and/ example, security videos) containing or educational records concerning of student images, especially where 1) the requested videotape would reveal a stuanother student.

There has been a longstanding de- dent image to someone other than that bate as to whether a school district can student’s parent, and 2) the videotape withhold from a parent those student could not be edited (for example, via pixrecords containing personably identi- elating) to obscure or delete the images fiable information pertaining to other of the other students in the videotape.

However, is it possible that “the students, or whether it is still required to disclose the records, albeit with appropri- times are a-changing”? While not exate redaction of information that could pressly repealing or withdrawing its prior personally identify these other students. formal guidance, the U.S. Department Connecticut’s Freedom of Information of Education recently issued a guidance Pullman & Comley, LLC

letter indicating that parents of a student may have the right under FERPA to inspect and review information in videotapes (and witness statements) even if the video also includes the images of other students.3 This guidance dealt with records that were being maintained and used in student disciplinary matters; the U.S. Department of Education found that such records would constitute “educational records” for both the student “victims” and student “perpetrators.”

This “right” to inspect would apply even in circumstances where it is not possible to edit or obscure the images of the other students. This new guidance would still not require a school district to provide copies of records to parents (but merely permit parents to view/“inspect” them).

Furthermore, this new guidance only speaks to the right of access as to the parents of students who appear in the video or about whom the statements are written. It does not create a blanket obligation to provide access to the general public (or even other parents of students not in the video) to school videos.

Frankly, the U.S. Department of Education’s latest interpretation of FERPA may be inconsistent with the law itself, which merely provides that when an educational record contains information on more than one student, the parent may inspect and review or “be informed of ” only the specific information about his or her own child. It remains unclear if

this latest guidance letter will be adopted by the courts or FOIC, which have both expressly recognized that school districts may be prohibited from providing access to records to the parents of one student that contain information about other students unless they can be redacted to remove the ability to identify the other students.

To date, the FOIC appears to be sticking with its prior guidance and upholding a school district’s refusal to provide access to records (including videos) to parents that reveal information about other students (unless they can be redacted to remove the ability to identify other students).4 Until the courts or the FOIC rule otherwise, it may be acceptable for school districts to continue to follow prior FOIC and court precedent and refuse disclosure of such videos (and statements).

Attorney Sommaruga is the author of “Understanding Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act” (5th Edition), which will be released soon. This is the first in a new quarterly column about FOIA Smith v. Superintendent, Middletown Public Schools, #FIC 2013-333 (January 30, 2014) 1

Letter re: Berkeley County School District (Family Policy Compliance Office, February 10, 2004) 2

Letter to Wachter (Office of the Chief Privacy Officer, December 7, 2017)

3

Ezzo v. Superintendent of Schools, Berlin Public Schools, #FIC 2017-0663 (March 14, 2018) 4

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | June 2018