FYI: State board reviews math education, ESEA waiver renewal

Volume 27, Issue 3- March 13, 2015 | Archives | AlabamaSchoolBoards.org

State board reviews math education, ESEA waiver renewal

Look at the math problem 1,000 minus 997, and you may quickly know the answer is 3. Yet Enterprise City Schools math coach Jessica Jeffers told the state Board of Education at its K-12 work session Thursday that half of her fifth-graders on the first day of school solved the problem incorrectly. A number of these students tried to solve the problem from rote memory and would forget steps, she said.

Jeffers then showed work samples from elementary students whose learning was guided by the state’s new College and Career Ready Standards and who not only learned several ways to arrive at the answer but also learned how to apply that knowledge to real challenges. Thursday’s math standards discussion ranged from frustrated parents’ difficulty helping children with homework to state Superintendent of Education Dr. Tommy Bice’s comment that Alabama is now “teaching students to think, not just do.”

Alabama Teacher of the Year Ann Marie Corgill, now a finalist for the national title, told board members it’s important to help “students understand there are multiple strategies and multiple access points for getting to a solution to a problem.” She also emphasized the confusion that exists about tools and resources used to teach math, the actual teaching and learning, and the assessment and evaluation.

“The standards are our guide, our endpoint,” Corgill explained. “Curriculum and professional resources are very different from standards. Every school system has an opportunity to choose the curriculum they use. If you are a teacher, you’re constantly looking for professional resources to support and guide your thinking and learning.”

State board member Betty Peters said she has heard concerns about students losing credit even when using traditional algorithms to get the correct answers. Bice said he would look into those issues.

The state board heard truncated presentations of the new Continuous Improvement in Educator Preparation plan and of Alabama’s waiver from provisions of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The ESEA waiver renewal due in April would demonstrate, among other points, the state’s:

· Increased emphasis on supports and resources for English language learners and students with disabilities;

· Addition of “military enlistment” as an indicator that a student is “career ready;”

· Removal of language referring to the developing A-F report card;

· Increased emphasis on monitoring of “priority” and “focus” schools; and

· The use of qualitative and quantitative measures to assess multiple aspects of a teacher’s practice.

While the state board has been charged with review of the state’s postsecondary teacher preparation programs, that review will now be data-based and have bite. Dr. Anna T. Kozlowski of the SDE’s Office of Student Learning said the plan is designed to ensure state board-approved programs produce well-prepared and effective educators. The board’s focus will now be on robust, continuous improvement of teacher prep programs. Data will come from teacher tests (Praxis II) and assessments of content knowledge, ability to plan instruction/fulfill professional responsibilities, internship evaluation and impact on student learning/ability to create supportive learning environments. Under the plan, teachers’ field experiences are no longer just hours spent in the classroom but must be well-planned, sequential, meaningful opportunities to grow.

Also at the work session, Bice announced plans to establish a dyslexia advisory council and specifically address this learning disability in the Alabama Administrative Code. Other items on the agenda were not discussed or were held over until the 1 p.m. April 8 work session.

The state board meeting on Wednesday included adoption of an amendment to Alabama Administrative Code to allow a one-to-one correspondence between Alabama’s high school and community college courses. The move is an example of the collaboration that’s possible because the state board is responsible for state-level policy decisions in the postsecondary and elementary/secondary education arenas, said state board member Mary Scott Hunter in a comment regarding Senate Bill 191/House Bill 199. The bills would strip the state board of its authority over postsecondary education by establishing a separately appointed postsecondary education board.

Bice also took the opportunity to recognize the state’s National Board Certified Teachers who had been advocating for national board certification funding at the nearby State House. Bice said the teachers were able to get a commitment of support from the governor.

The state board will have its next regular K-12 meeting April 9 at 8:30 a.m. in Montgomery.

Summer Conference & Orientation coming in June; housing goes fast

School board members earn 7 training hours for the June 19-21 Summer Conference. Join your colleagues from around the state for three days of learning and networking. Early bird registration opened today at AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.

Housing goes fast! Reserve accommodations at The Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach by calling 251/981-9811 (mention “AASB” for discounted rates).

AASB’s school board member orientation program introduces new school board members to their role and responsibilities and the characteristics of effective school boards. But you don’t have to be a new board member to attend the June 18 Roles & Responsibilities and June 19 Effective Boards & Relationships orientations at The Perdido. The programs are also open to longtime board members who desire a fresh look at what it takes to lead effectively. Discover what 21^st century boardmanship and governance are all about. Attend the orientations and earn 14 training hours that meet state training requirements and count toward advancement in the AASB School Board Member Academy.

Members of the Alabama Council of School Board Attorneys will have their annual summer seminar June 20 and 21 at The Perdido. Attendees may earn CLE credits. For details, contact acsba@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.

Members of the Alabama Association of Administrative Assistants will have their annual conference June 22 and 24 at the Perdido. It’s an opportunity to learn about agendas, meetings and other topics designed to enhance the work of administrative assistants, secretaries and other office professionals whose contributions help make it possible for school boards to successfully carry out their duties. For details, contact AAAA@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.

AASB offers policy review, analysis, updates, links & more!

AASB helps school systems build a strong foundation through development and maintenance of effective policies and policy manuals. Join our free listserv for staff who maintain policies and wish to network, share ideas and ask questions. Visit AlabamaSchoolBoards.org for links to other school boards' policies. Avoid legal headaches by using our Policy Review & Analysis service, and as a bonus, AASB will upload policies free for users who also subscribe to the eBOARD Policy Module. Enjoy 10 percent off the eBOARD module and get a free one-year Policy Pipeline subscription.

The Policy Pipeline is an annual publication that helps keep policies up to date. Subscribe to the Policy Pipeline for rich information and sample policies based on attorney general opinions and pertinent actions of the courts, state Board of Education and Legislature. You also receive a subscribers-only conference call each year (usually in July or August).

For more information, call AASB at 800/562-0601 (toll free, in-state) or 334/277-9700. Email us at policy@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.

AASB Advocacy Days, legislative info

Advocacy is an important aspect of school board service. Communities chose you to be their voice. Add your voice to those across the state who advocate on behalf of public education students. The Alabama Association of School Boards Advocacy Program is designed to enables board members to experience the Alabama legislative process and explore advocacy strategies for impacting public policy.

School board members can receive up to 2 training hours for participating in the AASB Advocacy Day program April 7 and 29 and May 19 and 20. There is no cost to participate and lunch is provided.

Education advocates are also reminded of AASB’s two key sources of advocacy and legislative information: the Advocate for Schools newsletter and our Legislative Insider e-blast. You can also track bills during the 2015 Regular Legislative Session online here. For details or to learn more, contact Advocacy@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org. Don’t forget to visit AASB’s advocacy webpage.

Ethics forms due April 30

It’s time for school board members and superintendents to file annual financial disclosure forms with the state Ethics Commission. The forms can be downloaded from the Ethics Commission’s website at www.ethics.alabama.gov.

NSBA 75th Annual Conference online registration deadline Monday

Register now for March 21-23 National School Boards Association Annual Conference in Nashville. The 75th annual conference will feature author, actor and former talk show host Montel William, editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group Arianna Huffington and founder of Yahoo Tech and one of the world’s best-selling how-to authors David Pogue. Conference-goers can also enjoy a campus expo, pre-conference workshops and more. Members of National Connection receive a discount on the registration fee.

How We Achieve Excellence contest open to grades 6-12, $3,250 in prizes

The Alabama Association of School Boards’ fourth annual statewide “How We Achieve Excellence in Our School” video contest is accepting entries from public school students (grades 6-12). The 2015 contest allows two entries from each Alabama school system. Entries are due April 10. Use this submission form to enter.

It’s a date!

March

Arts Education Month

April 16 (1.5 hours)

Religion in Schools, Webinar

May 7 (1.5 hours)

Legal Hot Topics, Webinar

June 18-21

AASB Orientation & Summer Conference,

Orange Beach

—info@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org

Denise Berkhalter and Emily Maxwell