NCAE SBE Review STANDARD SIX AND LEA FLEXIBILITY Based on the need to provide assessment data demonstrating growth for standard six for all teachers, the SBE made changes to TCP-C-006. The policy change allows districts and charters to submit plans for local assessments and methods for measuring growth to determine a status for the sixth standard school wide/ LEA rating for teachers of particular grades/subjects, and courses based on the lack of standardized assessments. Fourteen charter schools and four LEAs have been granted this flexibility. Seven more LEAs received waivers to provide this flexibility at the SBE meeting on May 1:
Avery, Buncombe, Chapel Hill-Carrboro , Durham, Lee and Union
These LEAs and charter schools will maintain this waiver until this policy changes or they ask to be removed. This waiver holds all teachers of the “waived” subjects to be held accountable for growth based on school wide/LEA data.
Twelve-Month Contracts/ Employment for Teachers The SBE heard a presentation by enrolled students in the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy. The policy question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of moving to 12-month contracts for public school teachers? The presentation began with a review of the salaries for NC teachers, as well as a parity pay index for teachers and other professionals. NC teachers rank the lowest, making only 78.8 cents on the dollar. Survey data on this topic, reveals that 67percent of teachers complete a significant amount of work for which they are not compensated; work beyond the normal school day, weekend work, summer work on curriculum or professional development. Extending teachers contracts to 12 months would allow more time for professional development, collaborating on curriculum projects, mentoring, and really reviewing data. There could be teachers that are identified as master teachers ,who teach half the day and mentor or coach other teachers the other half of the day for embedded support and professional development. Teachers would be compensated at the same rate of pay for the two extra months. Stating salary =$30,800 with a 20 percent increase per year = $36,960 (of course there is a 20 percent increase in time.)
54 percent of the teachers surveyed believe a 12-month contract would improve teaching and learning conditions as well as provide more time to do the required work. Under the current pay scale parameters this would cost an extra $644 million. 24 percent of the teachers surveyed said they would leave the profession due to not having quality time with their family and having a mental break from work. 18 percent of the teachers surveyed said they would make less money than their summer jobs and would have increased child care costs. Recommendations based on the study are on page 2 of this document.
May 2014 Points of Interests!
The SBE and NCDPI are working to create a MOU for educational exchange with Lille, France and Pune, India.
Congratulations to NCAE member James Ford of CMAE, high school social studies teacher from Charlotte Mecklenburg for being named the 2014-15 NC Teacher of the Year. To former NCAE member Carrie Tulbert of Mooresville Graded School System for being named NC Principal of the Year.
Page 2
NCAE SBE Review
Charter School News:
12-Month Contract Conclusions and Recommendations
1.
Bring back the 1 cent sales tax and generate at least $1.6 billion
2.
Would increase public respect and recognition of profession
3.
Increase retention of teachers
4.
Could create more year-round schools to impact better intervention for at-risk students
1.
Approved Charter School technology plans.
2.
Granted a specific waiver for Douglass Academy, that has struggled to maintain the minimum 65 ADM requirement. The wavier allows the school until September ‘14 to have at least 65 students enrolled and attending school regularly or the charter will be revoked.
3.
Increase the Charter School application fee from $500 to $1,000.
Implementation of Avenues
Other important Actions or Discussions
Teachers with 0-5 years experience are more receptive to 12month contracts and are more likely to accept—begin with this cohort.
1.
Discussed briefly updates regarding HomeBase. The SBE raised a few concerns and issues over the cost to implement certain aspects of the program as well as frustrations with Pearson regarding the time to remedy problems that in some cases have been an issue all year.
2.
Received an update on how the READY Principal sessions benefited more than 11,000 school leaders. Nine sessions were conducted and the topics covered included; how to best supports teachers with Standard I and V, and how to conduct critical conversations.
3.
Received as information an update on grade point average calculation. The General Assembly created a study committee on GPA that was conducted by higher education and the community colleges, not K-12. The group recommends the following changes as it was discovered NC is the only state that awards six points for an A, in AP/IB courses. If the UNC Board of Governors accepts the following recommendations, its not certain when students GPA will be impacted.
Elementary teachers who are lead teachers, master teachers or grade level—phase in, as most elementary administrators believe K-5 will be more receptive to extending time and being compensated for the work.
Schools with high turnover or low performing where there is more work to meet needs of students.
High school teachers by specific subject areas as needing time for implementation of curriculum.
Approved a policy modification for clarifying academic achievement levels for grade 3 The addition of the following policy language simply formalizes current practices but ensures all is clear due to the Read to Achieve policies. The beginning of Grade 3 (BOG) English Language Arts/ Reading assessments is administered as a pre-assessment for growth reporting. The BOG ELA/Reading academic achievement standards are the same as the End-of-Grade 3 English Language Arts/Reading assessment.
Recommend GPA Calculations: A =4 points Honors A = 4.5 points AP/IB A = 5 points
NCAE SBE Review
Highly Effective Status Time Line:
using best two of three years growth data for Standard VI
NCAE SBE Review May 2014