February 2015 State Board of Education Review

NCAE SBE Review: Instructional Policy Updates F E B R U A R Y

Charter School News

Congratulations to the following educators: The following educators were recognized as being School Health Champions:  Tiffany Parks, Health and PE Teacher Hoke County Schools  Les Spell, Health and PE Teacher; Sampson County Schools  Angie Miller, Director of Athletic Activities; Nash County Schools  Pam Taylor, Student Services Coordinator; Durham Public Schools  Jama Stallings, Director of Child Nutrition; Franklin County Schools  Amanda Hajnos, P E Teacher; Wake County  Marian Faulkner, Reading. Language Arts Teacher; Vance County Schools  Sherri Hodges, Lead School Nurse; Vance County  Diana Bowling, PE Teacher, Durham County Schools  Johnnye Waller, Director of Student Services; Lee County  Norma Hedgepeth, Health Education Teacher; Halifax County Schools  Lisa Frangipane, Health and Physical Education Teacher; Chapel HillCarrboro City Schools

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Charter School Renewals The following were approved for a ten-year charter renewal: The Arts Based School, Art Space Charter School, Bethany Community Middle School, Bethel Hill Charter School, Cape Fear Center for Inquiry, Charter Day School, Metrolina Regional Scholars' Academy, Millennium Charter Academy, Piedmont Community Charter, Socrates Academy, Southern Wake Academy, Two Rivers Community Charter, Union Academy, and Washington Montessori.

The following schools were approved for a ten-year renewal with the condition that any staff member or spouse of administration be a nonvoting member of its board of directors. The Charter School Advisory Board recommended a ten-year renewal for Alpha Academy The following school was approved for a seven-year renewal: The Academy of Moore County, and Phoenix Academy.

The following charters received three-year renewals with stipulations: Healthy Start Academy, and Success Institute. While the Haliwa-Saponi-Tribal School received a one-year renewal due to significant concerns over Exceptional Children.

Virtual Charter Schools Open in the Fall of 2015 Virtual Charter Pilots were approved after much discussion, clarification and questions over accountability, issues in other states and process as well as the legislative mandate to open at least two virtual charter pilots.

Prior to the SBE approving the pilots, adjustments were made and approved to the charter agreement each charter board must sign. The adjustments made were to encompass concerns over the differences in a traditional charter school and a virtual charter school and to ensure monitoring for this four-year pilot program.

North Carolina Virtual Academy, associated with K12,inc a for-profit company, and Connections Academy, associated with the for-profit Pearson Company were approved.

Each virtual charter pilot school can enroll up to 1,500 students for the 2015-16 school year, with a grade span starting with Kindergarten. Funds to cover theses schools will be drawn from the LEA the student resides, whether a home schooled student, charter school or traditional public school student. Each virtual pilot school must provide a computer if one is not available in the student’s home and each child must have a learning coach to monitor and support the student.

NCAE SBE Review January 2015

NCAE SBE Review February 2015 PAGE

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Beaufort County Ed Tech Center: An Exemplary Alternative School NC Alternative Learning Programs and Schools provide safe, orderly, caring and inviting learning environments assisting students with overcoming challenges that may place them “at-risk” of academic failure.

The goal of each program and school is to provide a rigorous education while developing student strengths, talents, and interests. During the last ten years, Beaufort County Schools has reduced its dropout rate by 70 percent. In 2014 Beaufort County has posted its highest graduation rate on record. District leaders attribute this success to an increase of academic choices designed to engage and motivate high school students and address individual needs and interests. Among the options available to high school students is Pathways, a dropout prevention and recovery program hosted at the Beaufort County Ed Tech Center, the district’s alternative school. Established in 2007-2008, Pathways has graduated between 30 and 40 students annually for the past six years.

A former student shared how she would not have gone back to school after dropping out and graduated to be able to enter Community College hand it not been for Ed Tech Center, the help of not only the teachers but the janitor and her determination to make her child proud.

Other SBE Action 1. Received the State Advisory Council on Indian Education report, which can be found at this link:

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/americanindianed/reports/ 2.

Heard an update on the NC Virtual Public School where total enrollment of courses this year is

55,753. These numbers represent the courses being taken, as some students may be enrolled in more than one NCVPS course. The demographics of where the courses are taught: In all 115 LEAs representing 776 schools, 156 charter schools impacting over 2,889 students. Students paying a fee for the NCVPS courses: 85 home schooled, and 192 non-public schools. Camp Lejeune; 24 students, NC School for the Deaf 7 students and the NC School of the Arts 4 students.

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Received an overview of the K-3 formative assessment process where assessments and tools are being

created that are developmentally appropriate, non intrusive within the instructional day and not to be duplicative tasks in regards to MClass and Dibbles. There is still work to be done!

NCAE SBE Review:

Instructional Policy Updates

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New School Report Card to Include the

A-F

Legislated Grades

The A-F grades data by overall school and categories.

Overall Grade A-F

Traditional Public Schools

A

118

14

B

545

37

C

968

35

D

539

22

F

129

17

Total

2,299

Traditional Growth Status

Charter Schools

High

340

233

200

Meets Expected Growth

604

259

180

Does Not Meet Growth

243

181

167

1,187

New A-F Grade

Schools with 0-49% of Teachers Meeting or Exceeding Growth

A

0

1

123

B

1

23

555

C

18

118

864

D

11

114

435

F

8

52

80

TOTAL

38

308

2,057

A-F Grades

Middle

Exceeds Expected Growth

Total

125

Elementary

Schools with 50-74% of Teachers Meeting or Exceeding Growth

673

Schools with 75– 100% of Teachers Meeting or Exceeding Growth

Schools with 50% or more Poverty Level

Schools with 50% or more Poverty Level

Schools with less than 50% Poverty

Schools with less than 50% Poverty

Math

Reading

Math

Reading

A

7

2

48

43

B

80

65

259

331

C

464

607

221

218

D

532

549

65

5

F

255

115

5

1

TOTAL

1,338

1,338

598

598

For additional details regarding this morning’s School Performance Grades release, please visit www.ncpublicschools.org and look under “News.”

NCAE SBE Review February 2015

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Teacher Evaluation Observations Requirements

The NC Teacher Evaluation policy/process was in need of being revised to clarify teacher observation requirements and policy language to ensure alignment to statutory requirements. With the elimination of teachers being able to earn career status, and based on language in the current statute, proposed changes include adding experience along with career status (as there are teachers who still have career

status). The revised policy revisions will help administrators discern what type of observation cycle a new teacher, veteran teacher and career status teacher might be placed. Teachers with fewer than three years of experience will continue to have three formal observations, and a peer observation as outlined in the current statute. Teachers with more than three years of experience must be evaluated annually in accordance with one of the existing evaluation cycles, at the discretion of the local district.