From: Ann Brennan
FYI
Note the State auditors report on charter school reforms, also note the 131st General Assembly House and Senate Committee assignments.
Subject: Arts on Line Education Update January 26, 2015
Ohio Alliance for Arts Education
Arts on Line Education Update
Joan Platz
January 26, 2015
1) Ohio News
•131st Ohio General Assembly: The Ohio House and Senate will hold sessions and committee meetings this week.
The House Finance Committee, chaired by Representative Ryan Smith, will meet on January 27, 2015 at 3:00 PM in hearing room 313, and the House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Hayes, will meet on January 28, 2015 in hearing room 121. Both committees will hold organizational meetings, but the House Education Committee will also receive a presentation about charter school accountability.
•Charter School Audit: Ohio State Auditor David Yost released on January 22, 2015 the results of an audit of student attendance at 30 site-based charter schools in response to questions about “irregular community school attendance and enrollment practices”. The audit found significant discrepancies in student attendance in half of the schools when compared to the number of students reported to the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) as enrolled in the school in July 2014. The audit also found schools in which only half of the students enrolled actually attended the schools.
According to Auditor Yost’s report, state auditors randomly selected 30 charter schools, from a possible 381 charter schools in Ohio, to check student attendance on October 1, 2014. Seven of 30 schools audited, mostly dropout recovery schools, had head counts more than two standard deviations below the number of students enrolled as reported to the Ohio Department of Education; nine schools had head counts at least 10 percent below the number reported to the ODE; 14 schools had head counts that were close to the numbers reported to the state; drop out recovery and prevention (DORP) schools had the highest variances in attendance; and 27 of 30 schools had fewer students at the school than the number reported to the state for funding purposes.
Of the schools with the highest variances in attendance rates compared to reported enrollment, Life Skills Center of Youngstown had an attendance rate of 17 percent of reported enrollment; Life Skills Center of Cincinnati had a rate of 18 percent; Life Skills Center of Hamilton County had a rate of 23 percent; and Dayton Technology Design High School had a rate of 25 percent.
The audit includes the following recommendations:
-The ODE should require the sponsors identified in this report to review and investigate the schools with large or unusual variances between actual and reported head counts.
-The ODE should update its FY2015 Education Management Information System (EMIS) Manual and School Options Enrollment System (SOES) Manual, and include the changes that the ODE made during the EMISRewrite and consolidation of SOES.
-The ODE should clarify that “while state Foundation funding is based upon annualized enrollment, the monthly reporting of student enrollments should be founded upon actual data rather than projections.” Some charter schools might be improperly reporting higher than actual projections of enrollment during the early months of the school year to prevent cash flow problems.
-The ODE should review the errors identified by the SOES flagging system for potential enrollment errors that might have occurred during the months of September through November 2014, due to the lack of monitoring by resident schools, community schools, and ODE during this period.
-The ODE should provide charter school sponsors assistance regarding curriculum policies and documentation requirements for blended learning models. Sponsors should be discouraged from “boilerplate language approval” of blended learning models in the educational plans of charter schools.
-The ODE should institute a guarantee mechanism to ensure that charter schools that close can pay any outstanding obligations to the state.
-Sponsors should actively review the enrollment and student attendance of charter schools, and conduct on site FTE reviews to verify enrollment.
-Sponsors of schools using blended learning should review school records to ensure that students are logging in and documenting completed lessons.
-The State Auditors Office will review the results of this investigation and incorporate any practices that would make more effective or cost-efficient the regular charter school financial audit.
The report also identifies some provisions in policy and law that should be strengthened to increase the accountability of charter schools. For example, beginning in July 2015, the ODE will determine the first Foundation payment for a new charter school based on the sponsor’s rating. High performing sponsors will be able to approve Foundation payments in July for the new charter schools that they sponsor, but charter schools not sponsored by high performing sponsors will not receive payment until September. This policy is based on changes authorized in Am. Sub. 129-HB 555 to ensure that charter schools are not over-paid for students, but the provision only applies to new charter schools. Foundation payments for existing charter schools are based on estimates from the previous school year, which do not take into account students who graduated or other changes in enrollment.
The report also found that the current structure of charter school law “lacks appropriate segregation of duties.” The ODE oversees community school sponsors; acts as a sponsor; collects enrollment and performance data; calculates and provides funding; and develops policies for charter schools. The report states, “Proper segregation increases the State’s ability to have accurate and meaningful financial and performance information and reporting. Separating the authorization and oversight duties and assigning them to different State agencies could increase the integrity of the sponsor and community school oversight process.”
There are also inconsistencies in charter school law that raise questions about conflicts of interest. For example, sponsors can charge charter schools for oversight and monitoring and services, which might cause some sponsors to think twice about closing a charter school. There are no requirements for governing board members or officials employed by charter schools, management companies, or sponsors to disclose personal financial interest in the schools they serve. And, according to the report, “Ohio’s law does not truly require a community school’s governing board to be independent of its management company. This is a significant policy question for the legislature.”
The report also cautions that there is an increased risk that dropout recovery and prevention schools are over-reporting student attendance; there is a lack of clearly defined minimum standards for blended learning schools making it difficult to evaluate charter school compliance with the 920 hours of required instruction; there are no consequences for charter schools or sponsors that don’t follow the education plan outlined in their contracts; and the requirement that charter schools post a payable bond to the state to use to pay the state money owed if the school closes only applies to schools sponsored by the ODE’s Office of Ohio School Sponsorship.
Other “matters for possible reform” identified by the audit include the following:
-To maintain benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) students must be enrolled in school for a minimum number of hours. Some dropout recovery and prevention schools reported that some students come to school to meet the minimum hour requirement in order to retain benefits, but fail to actively participate in learning opportunities.
-ODE’s failure to notify certain state offices and agencies regarding the closure of charter schools has resulted in public monies continuing to flow to the schools, when such funding should have been suspended or terminated.
-There should be a provision in law to pay court appointed “receivers” when assigned to a charter school that is insolvent. “If there isn’t a provision for the receiver to be paid for their services, a receiver may petition the court to vacate their position. This can lead to significant delays in the completion of close out procedures and distribution of assets for a closed community school as well as an inability to obtain records for audit.”
-Minimum legislative standards should be established to guide sponsors as they vet charter school applications, to ensure that the charter school’s educational program, mission, and focus of the curriculum are well defined.
According to Auditor Yost, the findings of the audit cannot be used to “substantiate fraud or findings of recovery”, but warrant further inquiries by the sponsors of the charter schools and the Ohio Department of Education.
See “Report on Community School Attendance Counts”, Auditor of State, January 22, 2015 at
http://www.ohioauditor.gov
•Senate Democrats Present Policy Agenda: The Senate Democratic Caucus hosted a briefing on January 21, 2015 to present their legislative priorities for the 131st General Assembly. The briefing, led by Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni, focused on priorities to support families, communities, and opportunities to build a better future for Ohio.
Senate Democrats expect to introduce legislation over the next weeks to raise the minimum wage, implement a permanent Medicaid expansion system, make the Earned Income Tax Credit refundable, restore the local government fund, invest in infrastructure, improve police and community relations, and protect Ohio’s drinking water.
Regarding education, the Senate Democrats will advocate for making college more affordable, reforming charter school laws, and making investments in job training and support for veterans.
See “Senate Democrats Outline Legislative Priorities For 131st General Assembly” at http://www.ohiosenate.gov/democrats
2) Ohio House and Senate Name Committee Rosters: Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger and Senate President Keith Faber announced last week the membership of the Controlling Board, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR), and other House and Senate committees. The committee rosters follow:
-Controlling Board: The Senate members include Senators Bill Coley (R), Chris Widener (R), and Tom Sawyer (D). The House members on the panel include Representatives Ryan Smith (R), Jeff McClain (R), and Kevin Boyce (D). The first meeting of the Controlling Board will be January 26, 2015.
-JCARR: The members of the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review include Representatives Mike Duffey (R), chair; Bill Hayes (R); Gary Scherer (R); Cheryl Grossman (R); Debbie Phillips (D); and Greta Johnson (D). The Senate members include Senators Joe Uecker (R), vice chair; Troy Balderson (R); Frank LaRose (R); Charleta Tavares (D); and Kenny Yuko (D).
House Committees
-House Education Committee: The House Education Committee will meet on Wednesdays at 4:00 PM in Room 121. The Republican members of the committee are Representatives Bill Hayes, chair; Andy Brenner, vice chair; Lou Blessing, Robert Cupp, Tim Derickson, Michael Henne, Steve Huffman, Kyle Koehler, Nathan Manning, Kristina Daley Roegner, Marilyn Slaby, and Ryan Smith.
The Democrat members of the committee are Representatives Teresa Fedor, ranking minority member; Janine Boyd, Bill Patmon, John Patterson, Debbie Phillips, Dan Ramos, and Kent Smith.
-House Finance and Appropriations Committee: The Finance and Appropriations Committee will meet in room 313. The Republican members of the committee are Representatives Ryan Smith, chair; Gary Schuring, vice chair; Marlene Anielski, Tony Burkley, Robert Cupp, Timothy Derickson, Michael Dovilla, Mike Duffey, Doug Green, Cheryl Grossman, David Hall, Stephanie Kunze, Ron Maag, Jeff McClain, Rick Perales, Willian Reineke, Mark Romanchuk, Gary Scherer, Barbara Sears, Robert Sprague, and Andrew Thompson.
The Democrat members of the committee are Representatives Denise Driehaus, ranking minority member; Nickie Antonio, Kevin Boyce, Jack Cera, Kathlene Clyde, Michael O’Brien, John Patterson, Debbie Phillips, Dan Ramos, Alicia Reece, and Emilia Strong Sykes.
-House Finance Committee Subcommittee - Primary and Secondary Education
The Republican members are Representatives Robert Cupp, chair; Timothy Derickson, and Stephanie Kunze.
The Democrat members of the committee are Representatives Debbie Phillips, ranking minority member; and John Patterson.
-House Finance Committee Subcommittee - Higher Education
The Republican members are Representatives Kevin Duffey, chair; Marlene Anielski, and Rick Perales.
The Democrat members of the committee are Representatives Dan Ramos, ranking minority member; and Kevin Boyce.
Senate Committees
Senate Education Committee: The Republican members of the Senate Education Committee are Senators Peggy Lehner, chair; Cliff Hite, vice chair; Troy Balderson, Bill Coley, Randy Gardner, Kris Jordan, Gayle L. Manning, Bob Peterson, and Chris Widener.
The Democrat members of the committee are Senators Tom Sawyer, ranking member; Cecil Thomas, Sandra Williams, and Kenny Yuko.
Senate Finance Committee: The Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee are Senators Scott Oelslager, chair; Bill Coley, vice chair; Bill Beagle, Dave Burke, Randy Gardner, Jim Hughes, Frank La Rose, Tom Patton, and Bob Peterson.
The Democrat members of the Senate Finance Committee are Senators Michael Skindell, ranking member; Lou Gentile, Tom Sawyer, and Charleta Tavares.
Senate Finance Committee Subcommittee Education: The Republican members of the committee are Senators Cliff Hite, chair; Troy Balderson, Bill Beagle, Bill Coley, and Peggy Lehner.
The Democrat members of the committee are Senators Tom Sawyer, vice chair; Cecil Thomas, and Kenny Yuko.
Senate Finance Committee Subcommittee Higher Education: The Republican members of the committee are Senators Randy Gardner, chair; Kevin Bacon, Jim Hughes, and Gayle L. Manning.
The Democrat members of the committee are Senators Capri Cafaro, vice chair; and Cecil Thomas.
2) National News
•State of the Union Address: President Barack Obama presented his sixth State of the Union (SOTU) address to a joint session of Congress on January 20, 2015. The speech included few details about initiatives, but focused on a broader message about expanding opportunities to support “middle-class economics”, which the President believes fueled the nation’s economic recovery from the recession. Details about the initiatives were included in several documents released by the White House prior to the SOTU and in presidential visits to several states over the past weeks.
According to the President’s address, the focus on middle-class economics means ensuring that families are secure in a world of constant change, and can afford childcare, college, health care, a home, and retirement.
The President stayed away from the current debate in Congress about reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and controversial education issues like testing and the common core standards. Instead he spoke about his plan for the federal government to pay for community college for responsible students; urged businesses to expand educational benefits and paid apprenticeships; urged support for tougher laws to protect the privacy of student data; proposed expanded internet access to communities and schools; and proposed increased support for preschool and the child-care tax credit.
The President also proposed lowering the taxes of working families, and a variety of changes in the tax code to pay for his new initiatives, including closing loopholes that allow the wealthy to avoid paying taxes on accumulated wealth, and companies to hide profits overseas.
See http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/17/fact-sheet-simpler-fairer-tax-code-responsibly-invests-middle-class-fami
See http://www.whitehouse.gov/sotu for a transcript or video of the State of the Union.
•Congressional Committees Responsible for NEA: The 114th Congress convened on January 6, 2015, and with a new Congress and Republicans obtaining a majority in the U.S. Senate, some changes have been made to the leadership of the committees that oversees the National Endowment for the Arts and other arts and cultural institutions.
Senate Appropriations Committee
The Republican members of the Senate Appropriations Committee include Senators Thad Cochran (MS), Chairman; Mitch McConnell (KY), Richard Shelby (AL), Lamar Alexander (TN), Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Lindsey Graham (SC), Mark Kirk (IL), Roy Blunt (MO), Jerry Moran (KS), John Hoeven (ND), John Boozman (AR), Shelley Capito (WV), Bill Cassidy (LA), James Lankford (OK), and Steve Daines (MT).
The Democrat members include Senators Barbara Mikulski (MD), Ranking Member; Patrick Leahy (VT), Patty Murray (WA), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Dick Durbin (IL), Jack Reed, (RI), Jon Tester (MT), Tom Udall (NM), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Jeff Merkley (OR), Christopher Coons (DE), Brian Schatz (HI), Tammy Baldwin (WI), and Christopher Murphy (CT).
Senate Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will serve as chair, and Tom Udall (D-NM) will serve as ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.
House Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Representative Ken Calvert (R-CA) is chair, and Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) will become the ranking member on the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
See http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/subcommittee/interior-environment-and-related-agencies
See http://appropriations.house.gov/subcommittees/subcommittee/?IssueID=34778
3) Update on Federal Testing Bills:
•U.S. Senate Hearings on NCLB Focus on Testing and Accountability: Senator Lamar Alexander, chair of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), opened the first education committee hearing of this session of Congress with a discussion about testing and accountability, two critical components of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB).
The Senator introduced on January 13, 2015 a draft entitled Every Child Ready for College or Career Act of 2015 to reauthorize ESEA. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was first approved under President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. Its purpose then was to ensure educational opportunities for all students. It has been reauthorized several times, including in 2002 when it became known as the No Child Left Behind Act. The act was up for reauthorization in 2007, but the lack of a bipartisan agreement on the components of the act has delayed Congressional action on it these past years.
Six witnesses, including two teachers, were invited to testify at the HELP Committee meeting last week on Every Child Ready for College or Career Act of 2015. The witnesses included Marty West, Associate Professor of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Tom Boasberg, Superintendent of the Denver School District; Paul Leather, deputy commissioner of education in New Hampshire; Wade Henderson, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the Leadership Conference Education Fund; Stephen Lazar, teacher at Harvest Collegiate High School, New York City; and Jia Lee, special education teacher at the Earth School in New York City.
The federal testing requirements in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) have been a highly debated topic at the federal, state, and local levels for several years. Here in Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Richard Ross released last week recommendations to decrease student testing by 20 percent, and some Ohio lawmakers, including Representative Andy Brenner, have indicated that they will again introduce legislation to limit testing in the 131st Ohio General Assembly. Parents are also opting their children out of standardized testing in many states, including Ohio.
(See http://unitedoptout.com/state-by-state-opt-out-2/ohio/)
According to written testimony presented to the HELP Committee, four of the witnesses recommended that lawmakers keep the current law about annual testing, which requires annual-testing in grades 3-8 and once in high school in reading and math, and testing science at grade level bands. The two teachers on the panel, Jia Lee and Stephen Lazar, supported eliminating “high stakes testing” in ESEA and giving educators more say in decisions about assessing students.
Lauren Camera reports for Education Week that following the hearing Senator Alexander said that he still doesn’t have a solution to the debate over testing and accountability. Senator Alexander offered two testing options in Every Child Ready for College or Career Act of 2015: One option would allow states to maintain the current annual testing plan, but also would allow school districts, with state approval, to choose assessments. The other option would let states use any type of testing schedule, including annual tests, portfolio exams, grade-span tests, competency based assessments, and more
Education Week reports that Senator Alexander expects to complete the mark-up of the Every Child Ready for College or Career Act of 2015 by the end of February 2015. On January 27, 2015 there will be another hearing on ESEA about teachers and school leaders. Hearings have also been planned about other education bills, including the Strengthening Education Through Research Act and The Higher Education Act.
See “Full Committee Hearing - Fixing No Child Left Behind: Testing and Accountability”. This site includes witness testimony and a video of the hearing.
http://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/?id=1ad5f642-5056-a032-52f2-57297bf23f2b
See “No Resolution to Annual-Testing Debate After First NCLB Reauthorization Hearing, by Lauren Camera, Education Week, January 21, 2015 at
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2015/01/no_resolution_to_annual_testin.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2
•U.S. House Education Committee Will Consider ESEA Reauthorization: Meanwhile, the House Education and Workforce Committee, chaired by Representative John Klein, reported that it will soon take-up action on the Student Success Act, which was also introduced in the 113th Congress to reauthorize ESEA. In a speech before the American Enterprise Institute on January 22, 2015, Representative Klein said that he is optimistic about reauthorizing ESEA this year. The Student Success Act would require states to continue annual testing in math and language arts in grades 3-8 and once in high school, but would remove the requirement that schools meet adequate yearly progress targets, and would allow states to make decisions about improving schools rather than complying with strategies prescribed by the federal government. The bill would also encourage the expansion of charter schools; allow Title 1 funds to follow students within the public education system; combine funding for several education programs; and give states more flexibility about spending. Like the Senate’s Every Child Ready for College or Career Act of 2015, the Student Success Act would eliminate “maintenance of effort” and the requirements for a highly qualified teacher.
See “Klein speaks on education reform at the American Enterprise Institute”, January 22, 2015 at
http://edworkforce.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398268
See “House will clear NCLB reauthorization by March, Ed. Leader Says”, by Lauren Camera, Education Week, January 22, 2015 at
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2015/01/house_on_track_to_clear_nclb_r.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2
•Testing and Accountability Bills Introduced in Congress: U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici D-Oregon and Senator Tammy Bladwin, D-Wisconsin, introduced on January 21, 2015 the Support Making Assessments Reliable and Timely (SMART) Act. The bill would allow states to use federal funds to audit their assessment systems through the state assessment grant program, which provides some funding for each state and totals about $380 million a year.
•More on Testing in Ohio: An editorial in The Akron Beacon Journal comments about the recent report from State Superintendent Richard Ross about testing in Ohio’s schools. The report is entitled Ohio Testing Report and Recommendations, January 2015 and is available at http://education.ohio.gov/Media/Media-Releases/Department-of-Education-Recommends-Reduction-in-Te#.VMVwl8ZSWgt.
The editorial notes that some of the recommendations in the report to reduce testing are reasonable, such as eliminating the fall administration of the exam to assess third-grade reading.
But the editorial also asks, what is the basis for Superintendent Ross recommending a 20 percent reduction in testing, and questions the recommendation about scaling back the student learning objective tests used to evaluate some teachers, including those in the arts. Switching to “shared attribution” to evaluate some teachers, the editorial states, “represents a sharp departure from what the state supposedly is trying to do with the tests: Evaluate individual teachers on how well they perform in the classroom.”
The editorial goes on to say, “Plain from the outset is how tricky it can be to assess a teacher’s work based on such test scores. So much is beyond the control of the teacher, from poverty to the quality of the previous learning. If student learning objectives tests are flawed, it hardly seems better to rely on an evaluation that lumps all teachers together.”
What educators really need, the editorial concludes, is some stability. “Districts and teachers would like nothing so much as the state taking care in devising a plan and holding to it. As things stand, changes in the protocol are a persistent and frustrating occurrence.”
See “When Testing Gets in the Way of Learning”, Editorial, Akron Beacon Journal, January 20, 2015 at http://www.ohio.com/editorial/editorials/when-testing-gets-in-the-way-of-learning-1.560031
3) Hard Times for Local Governments in Ohio: Governor John Kasich will introduce in the Ohio House his budget recommendations for FY16-17 in early February 2015. As policy makers begin to focus on state spending and resources to support government for the next two years, Policy Matters Ohio released on January 7, 2015 a timely report about the impact of state tax policies and budget cuts on local governments, including cities, townships, villages, counties, and public services, such as children’s services, transportation authorities, boards of developmental disabilities, and libraries.
The report, entitled “Hard Times at City Halls: Ohio Communities Struggle with Damaged Tax Base and State Cuts” by Wendy Patton and Zach Schiller, notes that many communities in Ohio have not yet recovered from the recession. Local governments employ 41,000 fewer people than in 2007; almost a third of local governments have reserves below recommended levels; state funding for local governments decreased by $418 million between FY 2010 and FY2015; and many local governments have increased local taxes to compensate for state spending cuts and lower tax bases.
A fact sheet from the Office of Budget and Management shows that revenues for local governments and schools between 2011-2015 rose by 1.7 percent after being adjusted for inflation. State support decreased in that time from $14.6 billion in FY 2011 to $12.9 billion in FY2013, and then increased to $14.19 billion in 2015. Local governments saw increases in revenue from new casinos, local sales taxes, income taxes, property taxes, but lost over $400 million from the estate tax, which was repealed in January 2013.
According to the report, state policies and budget cuts are responsible for the financial crisis facing local governments in Ohio today.
-Local Government Fund: The state established the Local Government fund in the 1930s and generally supported the fund through the biennial budget. But state funding has decreased by $270 million, dropping from $694 million in 2011 to $370 million in 2015.
-Estate Tax: The Estate Tax was repealed in January 2013. The tax generally raised $231 million a year. Revenue from the new casino tax is expected to replace it.
-Property Value: Property values in Ohio are not expected to return to 2008 levels until 2017. Property values dropped from $241 billion in 2008 to an estimated $232 billion in 2015.
-Property taxes and effective tax rates have increased since 2008 as a result of increases in tax rates rather than in property values.
-Local Income Taxes: Municipal income tax collections between 2007-2013 increased from $4.1 billion to $4.6 billion as a result of rate increases, as the tax base remained flat.
-Sales Tax: The sales tax is the smallest source of revenue for local governments. Counties and transit authorities can levy a sales tax, but schools, townships, and municipalities cannot. Revenue from local sales taxes dropped between 2008 and 2009 during the recession, but recovered in 2010, and has increased to $2.295 billion.
-Municipal Income Taxes: 130-HB5 Municipal Income Tax Reforms changes municipal income tax provisions starting January 1, 2016, which might reduce revenue for municipalities annually.
The report concludes by saying, “Local public services support our quality of life, protect family wealth and underpin opportunity. We all deserve sound, dependable services and stable public finance. Ohio’s communities need more support from the state and a period of stability - without cuts or threats - to recover, rehire and rebuild.”
See “Hard Times at City Halls: Ohio Communities Struggle with Damaged Tax Base and State Cuts” by Wendy Patton and Zach Schiller, Policy Matters Ohio, January 7, 2015 at
http://www.policymattersohio.org/hard-times-jan2015
FYI ARTS
•AIR Recommends that the Wolf Trap AEMDD Project Be Expanded: American Institutes for Research (AIR) released on January 19, 2015 a report about how integrating the arts in prek and kindergarten classroom instruction can increase student achievement in math, especially among students who are shy, those who are learning English, and those who had never before attended school. The report is based on a four-year evaluation conducted by AIR of a program developed by the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, and supported by a 2010 U.S. Department of Education, Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination grant (AEMDD grant).
The purpose of the Wolf Trap’s AEMDD project was to “....develop, implement, and disseminate a research-based program of professional development that equips teachers to infuse mathematics instruction with performing arts strategies in their prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms.” The Wolf Trap’s AEMDD project team developed a professional development program that included annual summer institutes and in-classroom coaching during the school year. Teachers and teaching artists in the disciplines of dance, music, and drama developed standards-based performing arts and mathematics experiences, and implemented them during the school year using a research-based strategy called “the artist residency model”.
AIR examined the implementation of the Wolf Trap AEMDD program, its impact on teacher use of performing arts strategies, and student knowledge of math concepts through a randomized controlled trial in 22 elementary schools in a Virginia school district. The AIR evaluation includes the following observations:
-Impact on Teacher Practice: Arts integration was observed in 32.3 percent of the lessons taught by teachers in the study compared with just 17.9 percent for control teachers.
-Impact on Student Achievement: “The program had a statistically significant positive impact on students’ mathematics achievement in both the first and the second years of implementation. Students participating in Wolf Trap’s Early Childhood STEM Learning Through the Arts (Early STEM/Arts) demonstrated better math achievement compared to control groups.”
The evaluation also determined that the use of music, movement, and dramatizing concepts was beneficial for all students, but in particular for students who were shy, who had never attended school before, or who were speaking another language; teachers found it easier to teach abstract math concepts through the arts; and the Wolf Trap program increased the attention given to student participation, teacher feedback, and improved classroom structure.
AIR recommends that, “The positive impacts of the Wolf Trap AEMDD program on students found in this study as well as a prior study (Klayman, 2006) provide research-based support for the replication of the Wolf Trap professional development model on a larger scale.”
AIR also makes the following recommendations for further study:
-The Wolf Trap affiliate programs should conduct validation studies of a rubric that measures the practice of arts integration. Once the rubric has been validated, it could be used to inform the “....design of the professional development program for teachers and teaching artists based on a standard of arts-integration classroom practice.”
-This research study focused on measuring the academic knowledge students learned through mathematics instruction integrated with performing arts strategies and activities, and not students’ knowledge and skills in the arts disciplines. The Wolf Trap project teams should also develop ways to assess what children are learning in the arts.
-The Wolf Trap project team should explore ways to improve the outcomes of the summer institutes for teachers, since the artist residencies were more likely to affect teacher practice than the summer institutes.
See “Evaluation of Professional Development in the Use of Arts-Integrated Activities With Mathematics Content: Findings From the Evaluation of the Wolf Trap
Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Grant: Final Grant Report” by Meredith Ludwig, Ed.D. and Mengli Song, Ph.D., Submitted to Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, January 2015 at
http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/Wolf%20Trap%20Report%20Arts%20Integration_Jan15.pdf
From: Ann Brennan
FYI
Note the summary of HB 367 which includes many new education related provisions, also note the update on the newly elected State Board of Education members.
Subject: Arts on Line Education Update January 5, 2015
Ohio Alliance for Arts Education
Arts on Line Education Update
Joan Platz
January 5, 2015
1) 131st Ohio General Assembly: The 130th General Assembly ended on December 29, 2014. The 131st Ohio General Assembly will meet for opening day activities on January 5, 2015. The Ohio House will be led by Speaker-elect Cliff Rosenberger. Senate President-elect Keith Faber will again lead the Ohio Senate.
Republicans have a 65 to 34 majority over Democrats in the Ohio House, and a 23 to 10 majority in the Ohio Senate.
Out of 99 districts in the Ohio House, voters returned 70 incumbents to office on November 4, 2014. Of the 29 districts that will have new House representatives in 2015, there are five districts that switched from being Democrat to Republican.
The new faces in the Ohio Senate for the 131st General Assembly include Cecil Thomas, Sandra Williams, Jay Hottinger, and Kenny Yuko. Except for Cecil Thomas, all have served in the Ohio House.
The House and Senate leadership posted committee dates, session dates, holidays and breaks for the first half of the year. Governor Kasich’s Inauguration will take place on January 12, 2015; committee hearings and sessions will resume for the 131st General Assembly on January 27, 2015; and Governor Kasich will submit his biennial budget (FY16-17) to the Ohio House on February 2, 2015.
2) 114th Congress: Members of the 114th U.S. Congress will convene on January 6, 2015. Republicans control both chambers: The House of Representatives will include 246 Republicans, 188 Democrats, and one vacancy. The U.S. Senate will include 54 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and 2 independents. Ohio Representative John Boehner is expected to be re-elected House Speaker, and Nancy Pelosi Minority Leader. Senator Orin Hatch is expected to be elected Senate President Pro Tempore; Vice President Joe Biden will continue to be President of the Senate; Senator Mitch McConnell will be Majority Leader in the Senate; and Senator Harry Reid will serve as Minority Leader in the Senate.
Ohio voters re-elected on November 4, 2014 all members of Ohio’s delegation to the House of Representatives, which includes 12 Republicans and 4 Democrats. Ohio’s Senators, Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown, did not participate in this year’s Senate election. The terms of office for Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman will end on January 3, 2019 and January 3, 2017, respectively.
President Obama will preview his legislative and policy agenda for 2015 before the State of the Union Address on January 20, 2015. The White House announced that the President will be on the road next week to promote his administration’s accomplishments and proposals for the economy, affordable housing, and education.
Republican leaders in the House and Senate intend to vote on legislation to complete construction of the Keystone Pipeline, make changes in the Affordable Care and Patient Protection Act, known as ObamaCare, and challenge recent presidential executive orders to begin this legislative session.
See “Obama to hit the road, selling economic progress” by Michael A. Memoli, Los Angles Times, January 3, 2015 at http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-obama-economy-20150103-story.html
3) Ohio News
•Governor John Kasich signs into law on December 19, 2015 the following bills:
-HB178 (Phillips) School Safety Drills. The original bill updated the number and types of safety drills required for schools, and passed the House on March 19, 2014. The Senate Education Committee held its first hearing on the bill on November 11, 2014. The bill was amended by the committee to include $209,000 for the Old Fort Local School District for costs related to the merger with the Bettsville Local School District. The House concurred with Senate changes on December 17, 2014.
The law also permits students participating in the Cleveland Scholarship Program to attend a private school in a school district adjacent to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and includes provisions from SB266, which requires charter schools to comply with restraint and seclusion rules.
-Sub. HB 290 (Stebelton) School Premises Liability: The law grants school districts immunity from civil liability when the public uses school district premises. This bill was approved by the Ohio House on May 14, 2014, and amended by the Senate and approved on December 11, 2014. The House concurred with amendments on December 17, 2014.
-HB367 (Driehaus/Sprague) Opioid Abuse Prevention Instruction-Schools: The original bill required the health curriculum of each school district to include instruction in prescription opioid abuse prevention, but the bill was amended by the House and then the Senate to become the vehicle for several changes in education law. More details about the law are included below in a separate story.
-Am. Sub. SB 42 (Manning, Gardner) revises the law governing Ohio’s public retirement systems and requires school districts with a safety and security tax levy to report how the district is using funding from that levy to the Ohio Department of Education.
-Am. Sub. SB 84 (Kearney) creates the position of Ohio Poet Laureate and designates June as Ohio Community Theatre Month in Ohio.
-Am. Sub. SB 243 (Bacon) addresses various tax issues and creates a three-day sales tax “holiday” in August 2015 during which sales of back-to-school clothing, school supplies, and school instructional materials are exempt from sales and use taxes.
•Study for Consolidating High School Approved: The News-Herald, covering Northern Ohio, reports that four school districts in Geauga County are studying a proposal to create a single educational facility that will become an area high school. The boards of education of four school districts, Newbury, Berkshire, Cardinal, and Ledgemont, approved resolutions to participate with Kent State University (KSU) Geauga to form a committee to study the concept. The new high school facility would be built on the campus of KSU Geauga in Burton Township.
According to the article, the four small rural school districts have been exploring strategies to save money and maximize learning opportunities for students for several years as a result of reduced state funding, decreases in enrollment, and failed levies. The Berkshire and Newbury boards of education recently suspended a process to consolidate when their communities raised concerns. The article notes that all the school districts must agree to create the consolidated high school, and the communities will probably need to approve a bond issue to build the facility.
See “Consolidated Geauga County High School Study unanimously Approved” by Jean Bonchak, The News-Herald, December 29, 2014 at
http://www.news-herald.com/general-news/20141229/consolidated-geauga-county-high-school-study-unanimously-approved
•Governor Reappoints State Board Members: Governor Kasich reappointed to the State Board of Education on January 2, 2015 Tess Elshoff of New Knoxville, Joe Farmer of Baltimore, Cathye Flory of Logan, and Tom Gunlock of Centerville. Their terms will end on December 31, 2018.
The State Board of Education includes 19 members: 11 members are elected and eight members are appointed.
There were seven contested races for the State Board of Education on the November 4, 2014 ballot, and four incumbents won re-election:
District 2: Kathleen McGervey
District 3: A.J. Wagner
District 7: Sarah Fowler
District 10: Ron Rudduck
Newly elected members include:
District 4: Pat Bruns
District 5: Roslyn Painter-Goffi
District 8: Robert Hagen
The following elected members will continue to serve their terms, which end on December 31, 2016:
District 1: Ann E. Jacobs
District 6: Michael L. Collins
District 9: Stephanie Dodd
District 11: Mary Rose Oakar
The following appointed members will continue to serve their terms, which end on December 31, 2016:
C. Todd Jones
Mark A. Smith
Rebecca Vazquez-Skillings
Melanie P. Bolender
The State Board of Education will convene on January 12, 2015 and elect a president and vice president for the next two years. Current State Board Vice President Tom Gunlock will serve as chair of the first meeting of the board, until the new officers are elected.
See http://education.ohio.gov/State-Board/State-Board-Members
•Committee Formed to Promote Ballot Issue: Ohio.com reports that a committee has been formed to promote passage of a constitutional amendment to revamp the way House and Senate districts are drawn. The Fair Districts for Ohio Committee will be led by former House Representatives Matt Huffman (R-Lima) and Vern Sykes (D-Akron). The purpose of the committee is to encourage voters to approve HJR12, which was passed by the 130th Ohio General Assembly in December 2014, and establishes a new bipartisan process to create House and Senate legislative districts. The issue will be on the November 2015 ballot.
See “Lawmakers to co-chair Ohio redistricting campaign”, by Julie Carr Smyth, Associated Press, December 30, 2014 at
http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/lawmakers-to-co-chair-ohio-redistricting-campaign-1.553853
3) Analysis of HB367 (Driehaus/Sprague): A routine bill to require schools to include information about opioid abuse in the health curriculum was amended by the Ohio House and Senate during the lame duck session of the 130th General Assembly in December 2014 to become the vehicle for several changes in education law.
Sub. HB367 was signed into law on December 19, 2014, and makes changes in graduation requirements, state assessments, attendance reporting, admission to school for children in foster homes or residential facilities, Teach for America, Montessori community schools, and more.
The following is a summary of the major provisions of the bill based on an analysis, compiled by the Legislative Service Commission, and the enrolled copy of the law. These documents are available at http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=130_HB_367.
•Phase-Out of the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) Section 3301.0711(B)(10): Changes the deadline for the phase-out of the Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT) and transition to the new College and Work Ready Assessments. Requires the State Board of Education to specify the date that the OGT and the practice assessments will end, rather than specifying July 1, 2015. This section also requires school districts with a three-year average graduation rate of less than 75 percent to administer the practice OGT to all ninth grade students who entered ninth grade prior to July 1, 2014, rather than beginning in school year July 1, 2005.
•College and Career Readiness Assessment Section 3301.0712(B)(1): Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Chancellor of the Board of Regents to select multiple assessments, rather than just one standardized national assessment, that school districts and schools may choose to administer to students to demonstrate college and career readiness. The selected assessment will be administered in the spring of the school year starting with 11th grade students who enter ninth grade after July 2014.
•Substitute End-of-Course-Exams Section 3301.0712(B)(4)(i) and (ii): Amends the requirements regarding the use of substitute end-of-course exams. Beginning with the 2014-15 school year a student enrolled in an appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) program shall take the advanced placement or international baccalaureate exams in lieu of the science, American history, or American government end-of-course exams. A student enrolled in an appropriate course under any other advanced standing program shall not be required to take the science, American history, or American government end-of-course examination. Instead, a student’s final course grade shall be used in lieu of the applicable end-of-course exams. The state superintendent, in consultation with the chancellor, shall adopt guidelines for purposes of calculating the corresponding final course grades that demonstrate the level of academic achievement necessary to earn a high school diploma.
•Exemptions from End-of-Course Exams Section 3301.0712(B)(6)(b). Extends to July 1, 2015, rather than July 1, 2014, the exemption for students who received high school credit for a course completed before an end-of-course exam is available for administration prior to July 1, 2015. Students exempted from the end-of-course exams can choose to either be considered to have attained a “proficient” score, or use the course grade in lieu of a score. The law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction in consultation with the Chancellor, to adopt guidelines for calculating the corresponding final course grades and the minimum cumulative performance score that demonstrates the necessary level of academic achievement.
Section 3301.0712(B)(7)(b)(ii) also states that if the State Board of Education replaces the Algebra I exam with an Algebra II exam, a student enrolled in an AP, IB, or advanced standing course in that subject must take the corresponding subject’s exam in lieu of the Algebra II exam.
•Integrated Math Exams 3301.0712(B)(7)(c): Permits school districts or schools using an integrated approach to mathematics instruction to replace the required Algebra I end-of-course exam for an integrated mathematics I end-of-course exam and/or replace the required geometry end-of-course exam with an integrated mathematics II end-of-course exam.
•Science End-of-Course Exam Section 3301.0712(B)(8)(a): Changes the end-of-course exam in science. Previously the law required students to take an exam in physical science as a requirement for graduation. The law phases-in the “science” (rather than physical science) end-of-course exam, so that students entering the ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2014, but prior to July 1, 2015, will take an exam in physical sciences or biology, and students entering the ninth grade on or after July 1, 2015, will take an end-of-course exam in biology.
Section 3301.0712(B)(8)(c) also requires the State Board to adopt rules by July 1, 2016 for students who do not meet the cumulative passing level on an end-of-course exam in science by July 1, 2019. Until July 1, 2019, the department of education shall make available the end-of-course exam in physical science for students who entered the ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2014 and prior to July 1, 2015, and who wish to retake the exam.
•Kindergarten-Third Grade Reading Assessment Sections 3301.0715(A)(2) and 3313.608(B)(1): Removes the September 30th deadline for public schools to administer the language and reading skills portion of the diagnostic assessments to students in kindergarten through third grade.
•Prescribed Curriculum Section 3313.60(A)(f): Adds to the prescribed curriculum the study of prescription opioid abuse prevention, with an emphasis on the prescription drug epidemic and the connection between prescription opioid abuse and addiction to other drugs, such as heroin.
•World History Requirement Sections 3313.603(B)(7) and (C)(7): Changes the requirements for graduation. Most students who enter the ninth grade on or after July 1, 2017 must complete at least one half unit of instruction (60 hours) in the study of world history and civilizations. The requirement is part of the two units of social studies currently required for graduation.
A different section of the law, Section 3301.0712(B)(8), also prohibits the State Board of Education from developing or administering a state end-of-course exam in world history.
•Children placed in foster homes or residential facilities Section 3313.672(A)(3): Prohibits public and nonpublic school officials from denying admission to a child placed in a foster home or residential facility, due to a lack of a birth certificate or other documentation of birth. However, the law requires that appropriate document be submitted within 90 days.
•Contract with ESC for School Nurse Section 3313.68: Allows a board of education of each city, exempted village, or local school district to contract with an educational service center for the services of a school nurse, licensed under section 3319.221 of the Revised Code, or of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, licensed under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code, to provide services to students in the district pursuant to section 3313.7112 of the Revised Code.
•Montessori Methods Section 3314.06: Adds the Montessori method endorsed by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education to the list of approved Montessori methods for community schools to use in schools for children younger than five years of age. This section also requires individuals younger than five years of age who are enrolled in a Montessori program to be offered at least four hundred fifty-five hours of learning opportunities per school year.
•Student Attendance Reporting Section 3317.034(E): Changes the conditions for withdrawing a student from school. Eliminates the ability of a school district to withdraw a student for failure to participate in learning opportunities for one hundred and five continuous hours, and does not have an excused absence. The law also specifies that a student in grades nine through twelve is considered a full-time equivalent student if the student is enrolled in at least five units of instruction per school year.
•Teach for America Section 3319.227(A): Requires that a participant in the Teach for America (TFA) Program must remain an active member in addition to meeting other specified conditions in order to be issued a resident educator license by the State Board of Education. Section 3319.227(E) also requires the State Board to revoke a TFA participant’s resident educator license, if that participant resigns, or is dismissed from the program prior to completion of the support program.
•Montessori Method Section 3319.261: Authorizes the State Board of Education to issue an alternative resident educator license to eligible applicants accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, in addition to the American Montessori Society, and the Association Montessori Internationale.
Other changes in law included in HB367:
•Section 3: Amends Section 263.20 of Am. Sub. H.B. 59 of the 130th General Assembly, as amended by Am. Sub. H.B. 487 of the 130th General Assembly, to authorize funding for community schools that use the method endorsed by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education.
•Section 5: Amends Section 263.320 of Am. Sub. H.B. 59 of the 130th General Assembly, as amended by Am. Sub. H.B. 483 of the 130th General Assembly, regarding the Lottery Profits Education Fund, and re-appropriate funding for Career Advising and Mentoring Program.
•Section 7: Amends Section 9 of Am. Sub. H.B. 487 of the 130th General Assembly, to require schools to administer to third grade students in the 2014-15 school year, the Ohio Achievement Assessment in English language arts, regardless of a student’s previous test score on the OAA. Current law required students who had passed the OAA in the fall to take the new reading exam developed by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) in the spring.
•Section 10: Requires for the 2014-2015 school year only, that the Department of Education, or an entity with which the Department contracts for the scoring of the annual state assessments, to send to each school district board a list of the individual scores for that school year not later than November 15, 2015, rather than within 60, which is in current law.
•Section 11: Transition to College Credit Plus Program and Advanced Standing Programs: Specifies for the 2014-2015 school year, which students participating in the Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program and dual enrollment programs, are required to take substitute exams, and which students can use final course grades in lieu of the science, American history, or American government end-of-course examinations.
This section also requires the State Board to specify the score levels for each substitute examination taken under a dual enrollment program during the 2014-2015 school year for purposes of calculating the minimum cumulative performance score that demonstrates the level of academic achievement necessary to earn a high school diploma. The State Superintendent, in consultation with the Chancellor, must adopt guidelines for the purpose of calculating the minimum final course grades for dual enrollment courses, taken during the 2014-2015 school year, that demonstrate the level of academic achievement necessary to earn a high school diploma.
•Section 12: End-of-Course Exemption for Chartered Nonpublic Schools: Exempts, for the 2014-2015 school year only, chartered nonpublic schools from being required to administer state end-of-course examinations, and also exempts students enrolled in chartered nonpublic schools from being required to take those exams.
Instead of attaining a cumulative passing score on the end-of-course exam as one of the three graduation pathways, a student’s final course grade will be used in lieu of a score for students in chartered nonpublic schools.
However, students attending chartered nonpublic schools using a state scholarship are still required to complete one of the three graduation pathways in order to receive a high school diploma. The state scholarship programs include the Ed Choice Scholarship Program, the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program, the Cleveland Scholarship Program, and the Autism Scholarship Program.
The law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in consultation with the Chancellor of the Board of Regents, to adopt guidelines for the purpose of calculating the corresponding final course grades, that demonstrate the level of academic achievement necessary to earn a high school diploma.
4) National Education Trends for 2015: Pundits and policy leaders spent the last few weeks of 2014 forecasting the major education trends for 2015 and beyond. Here are some of their forecasts:
•U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan: The U.S. Department of Education in 2015 will continue to expand preschool experiences for young children through the Preschool Development Grant Program; increase the number of college graduates; increase the number of schools with high speed internet access; and increase the high school graduation rate.
The U,S. DOE is also working on frameworks to evaluate teacher preparation programs and to rate colleges and universities.
See “Arne Duncan’s Edu-Predictions for 2015” by Alyson Klein, Education Week, December 24, 2014 at http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2014/12/what_are_arne_duncans_edu-pred.html
•Administrators Identify Trends for 2015: Superintendents and education experts identified the following 2015 trends in the January 2015 issue of District Administration:
-College and Career Readiness: Educators, parents, and the business community must collaborate more to identify and support student learning and opportunities that lead to successful careers. Some educators believe that competency based education programs will provide a better way to help students achieve college and career readiness.
-Common Core Testing and Assessments: A shift from high-stakes assessments to multiple assessments and measures will increase as the federal government relaxes regulations, due to the Republican takeover of the U.S. Senate, and more states create their own academic standards.
On the other hand, proponents of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) say that opposition to the standards will decrease as the CCSS are implemented successfully, and student learning increases.
-Blended Learning: Several administrators identified blended learning and online learning as having the potential to address a number of education challenges, such as increasing access to educational opportunities for more students, controlling costs, connecting in-school and out of school learning opportunities, closing achievement gaps among students, personalize learning, and changing the focus from seat time to student learning. Improved software and systems will also make blended learning more attractive and easier to use in all classrooms.
-Safety and Security: Policy makers also see privacy issues interwoven with safety and security of student data and campus security.
-Design Thinking and STEAM: Efforts to incorporate design thinking and STEAM into the curriculum will increase as students explore creative thinking and problem solving strategies, and find that learning in the arts contributes greatly to overall achievement in all areas of study.
See “Education thought leaders forecast 2015 trends”, District Administrator, January 2015 at
http://www.districtadministration.com/2015forecast
•Senate and House Education Committees: Allie Bidwell, writing for U.S. News and World Report, and Maggie Severns, writing for Politico, report that both Senator Lamar Alexander (TN) and Representative John Kline (MN) will focus this year on reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as the No Child Left Behind Act. Senator Alexander is the in-coming chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), and Representative Kline will continue as chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee. The federal law, which went into effect in 2002 as a bipartisan education reform act, has become unpopular as policy makers, parents, and educators question its goal and the strategies used to ensure that all students are proficient in reading and math by 2014.
According to the authors, the Republicans in the House and Senate are more likely to pass a bill that dismantles many of the federal provisions supported by President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan around testing, equity, and accountability. These include the federal mandates that require states to adopt rigorous standards, using the Common Core State Standards as the standard; require annual state testing at each grade level in grades 3-8 in reading and math; require consequences for under-performing schools; and require that teacher evaluations reflect student growth in learning. Proponents of annual testing and the data reporting components of the act believe that they are needed to ensure that the learning gaps close for non-white, low income, special needs, and English language learners.
See “Education Trends to Watch in 2015” by Allie Bidwell, U.S. News and World Report, December 31, 2014 at
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/12/31/common-core-college-ratings-and-campus-sexual-assault-2015-education-trends
See “The Plot to Overhaul No Child Left Behind” by Maggie Severns, Politico, January 2, 2015 at http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/the-plot-to-overhaul-no-child-left-behind-113857.html
•Privatization to Expand: Matthew Lynch writes in an Education Week blog that more private funding from individuals, such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, will increase resources for public schools, and more states could drop the Common Core State Standards. He opines that support for the Common Core will increase in the future, however, as state leaders see positive benefits. He also sees national efforts to support classroom technology paying off as internet access improves due to $1.5 billion boost in federal funding.
See “What’s in Store for Education in 2015” by Matthew Lynch, Education Week’s Education Futures Blog, December 30, 2014 at http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/education_futures/2014/12/whats_in_store_for_education_in_2015.html
•More on the Common Core: According to an article by Vox Media (a media outlet based in D.C. and New York), more state lawmakers are expected to challenge implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in 2015. That’s because students in 39 states will be evaluated this year for the first time on the new academic standards, and many experts believe that overall test scores in the states will drop. That’s what happened in New York and Kentucky, two states that tested students on the new standards last year. The Smarter Balanced Consortia, which is developing assessments for the CCSS with some states, also predicted last November 2014 that scores on the standardized tests are likely to drop as the new assessments are implemented. The article notes that anti-testing movements led by parents and educators are increasing across the nation in response to the amount of time schools are spending on testing, and the fact that states are using student test scores to evaluate teachers and implement consequences for local public schools.
The CCSS were originally adopted by 46 states and the District of Columbia in 2010, but some state legislatures have recently dropped them, (Indiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and South Carolina) and in most other states lawmakers are debating the future of the standards and/or other initiatives connected to the standards, such as standardized testing, collecting data about students, and using student scores to evaluate teachers and rate schools.
See “Why 2015 is a Crucial Year for Common Core” by Libby Nelson, Vox, January 1, 2015 at http://www.vox.com/2015/1/1/7477495/common-core-2015
See “50-State Look At How Common Core is Playing Out in US”, Associated Press, Huffington Post, September 2, 2014 at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/02/50-states-common-core_n_5751864.html
5) Article Highlights Major Issues Facing Education and the Teaching Profession: Ross Brenneman summarizes the findings of a variety of reports published in 2014 about education and the teaching profession in a series of charts. The charts cover the following topics:
-Sources of Dissatisfaction for Outgoing Teachers: A study by Richard Ingersoll at the University of Pennsylvania found that 64 percent of teachers leaving the profession left because they had too little prep time. Other factors contributing to teacher dissatisfaction include a heavy teaching load (reported by 57 percent of teachers), and poor salary and benefits (54 percent).
-School Funding: The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that per pupil funding in a majority of states is still below 2008 levels. Per pupil funding in Oklahoma, for example, is 23.6 percent less than 2008 levels. On the other hand, per pupil funding in North Dakota is 31.6 percent more than 2008 levels. Ohio shows a .3 percent increase in per pupil state funding since 2008.
-Teacher Autonomy: The Center for American Progress reported in a survey that teachers in North Dakota have the most autonomy regarding classroom control, textbooks and materials, and content selection. Teachers in Virginia, Rhode Island, and Delaware report the least autonomy.
-Slow Growth in Teacher Salaries: The Center for American Progress reports that elementary teacher salaries have increased about 22 percent based on data compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). The OECD data shows an average gain of 31 percent in teacher salaries over the past 15 years. The rate of growth in salaries for U.S. teachers is 9th from the bottom of the countries included in the data. Teachers in Japan and Korea have the highest rates of growth in salaries.
-Working Hard or Working Really Hard: U.S. teachers work longer hours per year than any other country except Argentina and Chile according to the OECD data. Teachers in the U.S. work about 1,100 hours per year compared to the OECD average of 700 hours, based on data from 2012.
-Retaining Minority Teachers: The percent of Asian, Hispanic, and African American people who were education majors in 2009 is about 18 percent, compared to 82 percent for Caucasians. Reports also show that it is hard to retain minority teachers.
See: The Teaching Profession in 2014 in Charts) by Ross Brenneman, Education Week, Teaching Now Blog, December 29, 2015 at
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_now/2014/12/the-teaching-profession-in-2014-in-charts.html
FYI ARTS
•More on Music and Brain Development: A team of researchers at the University of Vermont College of Medicine recently published in the Journal of American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry the results of a study about the association between playing a musical instrument and the development of the brain. The research team, led by James Hudziak, M.D, and Matthew Albaugh, Ph.D., examined the brain scans of 232 children ages 6 to 18 using a database from the National Institutes of Health Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Study of Normal Brain Development.
The researchers found that learning to play a musical instrument could help children to reduce feelings of anxiety, gain a greater control of their emotions, and strengthen their attentional control. Previous MRI research shows that anxiety and depression affect the cortex or outer layer of the brain as children grow. This study shows that music training altered the motor and behavior regulating areas of the brain, including executive functioning, memory, attentional control, organization, emotional processing, and planning for the future.
See “Could Playing Tshaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” and other Music Improve Kids’ Brains? News release from the University of Vermont College of Medicine by Carolyn Shapiro, December 22, 2014 at http://www.uvm.edu/medicine/?Page=news&storyID=19874&category=comresne
See “Learning a Musical Instrument Boosts Kid’s Brains” by James Mcintosh, Medical News Today, December 9, 2014 at
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287458.php
From: Ann Brennan
By the end of the day the outcome of the Education "catch all" bill should be determined as the Senate Education Committee meets this morning to determine final amendments for the Senate bill vehicle (HB 367), and the House passed their version yesterday (SB 96). The bills differ , and the negotiations are continuing to determine which bill vehicle will be the final version. Both the Senate and House committees amended the education provisions to bills that had already passed the other chamber - that way only concurrence is necessary and can be accomplished before they adjourn the 2 year General Assembly session by the end of this week.
The following Gongwer excerpt provides a summary of the negotiations and this weeks activity so far, I will provide an update when the final bill is acted on:
"The Senate Education Committee on Wednesday made a move on education fix policies that might give some on Capitol Square déjà vu.
The panel amended into a House bill on prescription drug education (HB 367 ) a long and varied list of provisions originally found in a catch-all measure (HB 343 ) that makes tweaks to existing policies.
The grab-bag bill passed the House a week ago, but the education chairs in both chambers had said they were concerned about the Senate having enough time to debate the legislation before it adjourns for the year.
But the Senate Education Committee's move Wednesday is the same one made by the House Education Committee Tuesday. The lower chamber panel amended the bulk of HB343 into a Senate-passed bill (SB 96 ) to require students take a world history course. (See Gongwer Ohio Report, December 9, 2014)
The moves allow passage of the bills in their respective chambers - which the House did Wednesday - with only a concurrence vote required in the opposite one.
The House and Senate, however, have not identified the same list of provisions they think should be enacted. Whereas the House adopted an almost identical version of HB343 into its bill, the Senate's list is shorter.
The Senate also tacked on the graduation requirement for world history from Senate Bill 96, making its enactment more likely no matter which version becomes the final vehicle.
Sen. Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) said, however, there is no reason to think the two chambers are not negotiating well on the issue, saying the committee actions are a matter of process.
"We didn't want to be appearing to reject anything, so we didn't want to take things out of (HB343), and also the timing of this was such that we didn't know when we'd get the bill over," she said in an interview. "Most of these items are items that have been long identified over the last couple months and we've been working on the amendments by themselves.
"Most of them appeared in 343 - not all of them - but most of them did, so we thought this was an easier, cleaner vehicle to use than try to amend a House bill."
Ms. Lehner said she is not sure why the House Education Committee felt the need to take a similar tack a day earlier.
"Maybe they felt they didn't have a final list of what we were putting in and were concerned that it wouldn't have enough of the things," she said. "I'm hoping when they see what we're actually putting in that they'll recognize that this is a good vehicle and they'll choose to just concur and we'll get this work done."
Sen. Lehner also said there is nothing in House Bill 343 that the Senate doesn't like, just some items it doesn't think are ready.
She specifically identified the House's language to change graduation requirements for chartered, nonpublic schools. Under the provision, private schools would not have to administer end-of-course exams, but their students would be required to take a college and career readiness assessment - such as the ACT or SAT - in lieu of the EOC.
"That discussion is still in process," Sen. Lehner said. "There's a committee that is working on that right now. We are far from completing the work on that committee, so we don't think we should be putting conclusions in a bill before the committee finishes their work or the legislature has a chance to debate that."
An amendment to the Senate bill instead sets up a pathway so if the legislature decides in the future that EOCs have to be taken in chartered, nonpublic schools, students who did not take them in ninth grade have a way to make up that grade, Sen. Lehner said.
It specifically allows the course grade for successfully completing the class to be used in lieu of an EOC exam, she said.
Current law says the private schools are exempt from EOC for 2014-15 except for voucher students. The exemption becomes permanent if the legislature fails to act on a policy specific to those schools.
"This is a very, very big issue," Sen. Lehner told the committee. "It's a big issue that concerns a lot of children in the state of Ohio. A diploma from high school is a key to work for many, many kids. To either make it unnecessarily difficult to earn a diploma or to make it too easy to earn a diploma so that it lacks all meaning undercuts the purpose of a high school diploma."
The chairwoman described the Senate's wish list of provisions "more than reasonable."
"I think it's well-vetted, thought through decisions on things and it's ready to go," she said. "It's ripe for lame-duck legislation."
Rep. Stebelton meanwhile said he thinks the Senate's move is "not a good idea" and has told them as much.
"We think...367 is pretty much a standalone bill being the teaching of the dangers of drugs, etc. We don't think it needs a lot of amendments," he said. "We did something yesterday to Senate Bill 96 to add the things in that we want, so we would prefer that they not do that."
When push comes to shove, Mr. Stebelton said he thinks the House could agree to the Senate's list of changes depending on the language. He said he is not sure the provisions are drafted exactly the same way across the two bills.
"I'd like to pass both of them, that way we get it done two ways," he said.
During its floor consideration in the House, the chamber amended the bill to require the State Board of Education to report the status of student achievement in American history and American government based on end-of-course exams. The requirement would start with data from the current school year.
The bill passed out of the chamber 75-8, prepping it for a Senate concurrence vote.
The Senate's omnibus amendment meanwhile includes a couple provisions that did not exist in House Bill 343 or the House amendment to Senate Bill 96. One would allow districts to choose which college and career readiness assessment to administer to 11th graders based on a list approved by the superintendent of public instruction and the chancellor.
Sen. Lehner said the Department of Education currently has identified only one exam for
that purpose. The language change would also require ODE to reimburse districts for whichever test they use.
On the issue of the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, Sen. Lehner said the Senate language avoids what the House proposed in terms of letting teachers administer the test before the start of the school year. She said she has heard concern that the exam is meant to be done in a group setting.
The omnibus amendment would, however, remove the Sept. 30 deadline for the literacy component of the KRA to allow that part to happen anytime during the administration of the test, she said.
Another change would allow districts to contract with nurses employed through an educational service center to treat students with diabetes. Sen. Lehner said that group was inadvertently excluded from a list of those eligible for the task as included in a mid-biennial review bill (HB 487 ).
Also added to the measure is Rep. Robert Sprague's (R-Findlay) bill to require businesses to hold a terminal distributor license for the possession and distribution of Suboxone (HB 378 ). It had passed out of the House last week.
Testimony: Phil Hayes, vice president for the Columbus Education Association, spoke to the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment measure that allows the literacy portion of the test to be administered up until Nov. 1.
He said the exam is long and stressful for students. A lot of instructional time is lost at the start of the school year because of it.
Mr. Hayes asked that the House language to provide an optional early start to the test administration be included in the bill.
Sen. Lehner said she seriously considered the House amendment, but she has learned of issues with that approach, particularly because the latest version of the exam is new for teachers. There is also concern about the integrity of the test if administered one-on-one rather than in a group setting."
From: Ann Brennan
State Board Action: Related Service Staff and other staff added to ESP Rule
The State Board of Education approved an intent to adopt resolution yesterday regarding the revised Operating Standards, OAC rules 3301-35-01 to 3301-35-14.
Much of the 2-day State Board meeting was devoted to debate regarding the recently revised education service personnel rule (amendment just acted on yesterday and drafted late last week). OSPA found out about the revised rule last Thursday and submitted the attached questions and concerns to the State Board regarding it.
The Board adopted the revision with an amendment late yesterday after much debate from the Board members who were in favor of retaining the original “5 of 8” rule. Board member Rose Oakar offered an amendment that would have encouraged Boards of Education to employ 5 of the 8 ESP staff listed in the current rule, essentially encouraging the Boards to prioritize hiring these staff positions over the other expanded listing of ESP positions in this latest revision. The amendment failed.
The following is the adopted version of the rule, which is now part of the rule package going forward, which is expected to be adopted later this spring:
Rule 3301-35-01 (Definitions)
(B)(13) "Educational service personnel" are specially qualified individuals who possess the knowledge, skills and expertise to support the educational, instructional, health, mental health and college and career readiness needs for all students. All educational service personnel shall hold appropriate qualifications, including applicable special teaching certificates, multi-age licensure or specific licensure in the areas to which they are assigned.
(a) Educational service personnel that support educational, instructional and college and career readiness programs include, but are not limited to: elementary fine arts, music, and physical education teachers, librarian or media specialists, school counselors and reading intervention specialists;
(b) Educational service personnel that support the learning needs of the special needs student population include, but are not limited to: gifted intervention specialists, adapted physical education teacher, audiologist, interpreter, speech-language pathologists, physical and occupational therapists and English as a second language specialist;
(c) Educational service personnel that support the health and mental health of the student population include, but are not limited to: the school nurse, social worker, school psychologist, and school resource officer.
Rule 3301-35-05 (Faculty and Staff Focus)
(A)(3) The local board of education shall be responsible for the scope and type of educational services in the district. The district shall employ educational service personnel to enhance the learning opportunities of all students. Educational service personnel assigned to elementary fine arts, music and physical education shall hold the special teaching certificate or multi-age license in the subject to which they are assigned.
Referral to Accountability Committee
The State Board of Education directs the Accountability Committee to develop a method to report education service personnel on the report card for each area defined in rule 3301-35-01(B)(13). This method shall specify how the data will be reported annually by school, district, and state, including the total number of educational service personnel and the number per 1000 students or less. The Accountability Committee shall direct the Ohio Department of Education to report this data on the report card as soon as it can be implemented, but no later than the 2015-2016 report card.
End of Rule
NOTE: When I was notified that school psychologists were added to this ESP rule, along with all related services staff, I contacted the two Board members, Ron Ruddick and Mike Collins who were working on the compromise language to express OSPA’s concerns and to ask questions regarding how this new rule aligns with Ohio’s special education rules, that define related services, as well as contain caseload ratios. Mr. Collins indicated that there is no intent to have this rule negatively impact or change the special education rules. The ODE lawyers in the final draft will likely cite the related rules and law. I will suggest they do so in follow-up comments. Also, note the new accountability language will be valuable data to report, and OSPA supports this addition.
House Education Committee added major provisions from HB 343 to SB 96:
Late yesterday the House Education Committee added the major provisions from HB 343 into SB 96, a Senate passed bill adding World History to the high school graduation requirements. SB 96 will now be the vehicle for the education “clean-up” bill, as Senate Education Committee chair Peggy Lehner has worked with the House Education chair, Stebleton on these provisions. Since the Senate has already passed SB 96 is can move e out of both the Senate and House by the end of this week – this General Assembly will adjourn this week, and the new General Assembly will begin in January 2015.
I will report the final versions of SB 96 later this week or nearly next week, after the LSC analysis is written.
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From: Ann Brennan
Important update, note the action on HB 343 and the State Board of Education meets today and tomorrow and will be adopting an intent to adopt resolution for the revised Operating Standards, including the controversial ESP rule replacement.
Ohio Alliance for Arts Education
Arts on Line Education Update
Joan Platz
December 8, 2014
1) Ohio News
•130th General Assembly: The House and Senate have scheduled committee hearings and sessions this week.
•This Week at the Statehouse:
-The House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Stebelton, will meet on December 9, 2014 at 9:00 AM in Hearing Room 121. The committee will receive testimony on the following bills:
-HB473 (Hayes) Education-Student Expression Forum: Requires school districts, community schools, STEM schools, and college-preparatory boarding schools to establish a limited public forum for student expression. First hearing, sponsor testimony.
-HB520 (Carney/Patterson) Community Schools-Auditing Requirements: Regarding audit and record-keeping requirements for community school sponsors and operators. First Hearing, sponsor testimony.
-SB96 (LaRose) High School Social Studies Curriculum: Requires one unit of world history in the high school social studies curriculum. Second Hearing. A vote is possible.
SB84 (Kearney) Ohio Poet Laureate: Creates the position of Ohio Poet Laureate. First Hearing, all testimony, a vote is possible.
-The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Lehner, will meet on December 10, 2014 at 10:00 AM in the Senate Finance Hearing Room. The committee will consider the following bills:
-HB113 (Antonio) High School Physical Education: Specifies that school districts and chartered nonpublic schools may excuse from high school physical education students who participate in a school-sponsored athletic club. A vote is possible.
-HB178 (Phillips) School Safety Drills: Amends the laws regarding school safety drills. A vote is possible.
-HB367 (Driehaus/Sprague) Opioid Abuse Prevention Instruction: Requires the health curriculum of each school district to include instruction in prescription opioid abuse prevention. A vote is possible.
The Senate Education Committee also has scheduled an “if needed” meeting for December 11, 2014.
•Changes at the Statehouse: Senator Shirley Smith (21st Senate District) resigned on December 3, 2014 from the Ohio Senate as of November 30, 2014. According to the Northeast Ohio Media Group she stated in her resignation letter that she was resigning because of a change in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, which requires her to retire earlier than she planned to qualify for health care benefits.
See “Cleveland Sen. Shirley Smith resigns Senate seat” by Jackie Borchardt, Northeast Ohio Media Group, December 3, 2014 at
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2014/12/cleveland_sen_shirley_smith_re.html.
Representative Peter Beck (54th House District) resigned from the Ohio House on December 1, 2014. Representative Beck did not run for re-election in November, and is under indictment on securities fraud allegations.
Niraj Antani, who was elected to represent the 42nd House District in November 2014, was sworn into office last week. The seat has been vacant since the death of Representative Terry Blair in June 2014.
•Update on the Community Connectors Program: The Ohio Department of Education announced last week that applications were being accepted for the $10 million Community Connectors grant program. Applications will be accepted through February 20, 2015. The program links students in eligible schools with mentorship programs developed through partnerships in the community. The maximum award is $650,000 with the state matching $3 for every $1 spent. The ODE will be sponsoring three regional meetings and a statewide webinar next week for schools, non profits, and businesses interested in applying for the grants.
Information about the regional meetings is available at http://www.communityconnectors.ohio.gov/.
2) Legislative Update:
•Governor’s Office: Governor Kasich signed into law on December 2, 2014 SB69 (Beagle), which establishes the Course and Program Sharing Network to be administered by the chancellor of the Board of Regents.
•Ohio House: The Ohio House passed on December 4, 2014 the following bills:
-HB454 (Gonzales) Concealed Carry-School Safety Zone. The bill clarifies the authority of a concealed handgun licensee to possess a handgun in a school safety zone. The vote was 79-2.
-HB343 (Stebelton) Educational Programs: includes a number of requested changes in education law, and allows school districts to administer an end of course exam in biology in addition to one in physical sciences to meet the high school graduation requirement. The House Rules and Reference Committee amended the bill last week to remove a controversial section that would have repealed the minimum teacher salary schedule from statute. The bill also clarifies the licensing requirements for Teach for America; adjusts special education performance measures; requires the State Board of Education to develop by June 30 a “model disciplinary policy”; and makes changes in the laws regarding truancy. The bill passed by a vote of 84-2.
-HB460 (Brenner/Driehaus) School Restructuring: Authorizes school districts and community schools to initiate a community learning process to assist and guide school restructuring. This bipartisan-sponsored bill is modeled after Oyler Community Learning Center and other schools in Cincinnati. These schools provide non-educational services, such as a dental and mental health clinic, through public-private or public-public partnerships at the schools. The bill limits the community learning centers to high schools in 15 percent of the lowest performing schools. The bill passed by a vote of 85-3.
•House Education Committee: The House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Stebelton, reported-out two bills last week: HB303 (Hayes) Student Religious Expression and HB304 (Hayes) regarding student access to public school facilities.
•Ohio Senate: The Ohio Senate referred to the Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Lehner the following bills last week:
-HB343 (Stebelton) Educational Programs, includes a number of requested changes in statutes for K-12 education, and allows school districts to use an end of course exam in biology in addition to one in physical sciences to meet the high school graduation requirement.
-HB460 (Brenner/Driehaus) School Restructuring, authorizes school districts and community schools to initiate a community learning process to assist and guide school restructuring.
-HB228 (Brenner/Gonzales) Limits on Student Testing.
•Senate Education Committee: The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Lehner, reported-out on December 2, 2014 SB266 (Skindell/Lehner) Public Schools-Behavior Intervention, regarding the use of seclusion and physical restraint on students, and positive behavior intervention supports in public schools.
3) State Board of Education Meeting: The State Board of Education, Debe Terhar president, will meet on December 8 & 9, 2014 at the Ohio Department of Education Conference Center, 25 South Front Street, Columbus, Ohio. The Board has a full agenda, which includes the evaluation of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction; presentations by the Achievement Committee, chaired by C. Todd Jones; meetings of the Achievement, Capacity, Graduation Requirements, and Legislative and Budget committees; and voting on the report and recommendations of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
This will be the last State Board meeting for President Debe Terhar, and board members Debbie Cain, and Brad Lamb. The terms of Tess Elshoff, Cathye Flory, Joe Farmer, and Tom Gunlock also end on December 31, 2014, but they can be reappointed by Governor Kasich.
The 2015 - 2016 State Board will include three newly elected members: Pat Bruns (District 4); Roslyn Painter-Goffi (District 5); and Robert Hagen (District 8).
Returning to the State Board next year are also elected members: Ann Jacobs (District 1); Kathleen McGervey (District 2); A.J. Wagner (District 3); Mike Collins (District 6); Sarah Fowler (District 7); Stephanie Dodd (District 9); Ron Rudduck (District 10); and Mary Rose Oakar (District 11).
Appointed members returning next year to complete their terms include C. Todd Jones, Mark A. Smith, Rebecca Vazquez-Skillings, and Melanie P. Bolender.
There are eight “intent to adopt” resolutions on the Board’s agenda this month, including one to approve the revisions to Operating Standards for Ohio Schools and Districts for Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade, Rules 3301-35-01 through 3301-35-10. The Operating Standards Committee, chaired by Ron Rudduck, met for 15 months and revised the operating standard rules as required by five-year-review law. The committee approved the revised standards at their meeting in November by a 4 to 3 vote, and also presented the revised standards to the full Board.
The standards include a controversial provision eliminating the requirement that boards of education employ five full time equivalent educational service personnel for every 1000 students in five of eight areas: counselor, library media specialist, school nurse, visiting teacher, social worker, and elementary art, music, and physical education. The Board is expected to consider amendments to the resolution on this provision and others.
A complete list of resolutions that the State Board will consider during their business meeting follows:
#2 Resolution of intent to adopt Rule 3301-19-01, 02, 03 of the Administrative Code regarding expenditure flow reports.
#3 Resolution of intent to adopt Rule 3301-24-10 of the Administrative Code entitled Alternative Pathway to Professional Principal Licensure for the New Leaders for Ohio Schools Pilot Program.
#4 Resolution of intent to adopt Rule 3301-24-23 and -24 of the Administrative Code entitled Resident Educator License Renewal and Alternative Resident Educator License Renewal.
#5 Resolution of intent to adopt new Rules 3301-24-25 and -26 of the Administrative Code entitled Senior Professional Educator License Renewal and Lead Professional Educator License Renewal.
#6 Resolution of intent to adopt Rule 3301-61-02, -03, and 3301-61-16 of the Administrative Code regarding career technical education programs.
#7 Resolution of intent to adopt Rule 3301-91-02 and 03 and to rescind Rule 3301-91-05 of the Administrative Code regarding standards for school lunch and breakfast programs.
#8 Resolution of intent to adopt Rule 3301-102-08 of the Administrative Code entitled standards for measuring sponsor compliance with applicable laws and rules.
#19 Resolution to adopt Rule 3301-5-01 of the Administrative Code entitled school emergency management plan.
#20 Resolution to adopt Rule 3301-16-04 of the Administrative Code entitled graduation requirements transition.
#21 Resolution to adopt Rules 3301-45-01 to 3301-45-06 of the Administrative Code regarding the administration of programs for adults seeking to achieve a high school diploma.
#22 Resolution to confirm the Eastern Local School District Board of Education’s determination of impractical transportation of certain students attending St. Michael School, Ripley, Brown County, Ohio.
#23 Resolution to adopt passing scores for the resident educator summative assessment (RESA) for the Ohio resident educator program.
#24 Resolution charging the Ohio Department of Education to draft rules for the implementation of a new recognition program for high school accomplishments.
#25 Resolution to designate the job skills assessment for students to demonstrate workforce readiness and employability for the purpose of high school graduation.
#26 Resolution to designate selected science and social studies International Baccalaureate Exams as substitutes for the state’s physical science, American history, and American government end of course exams.
#27 Resolution to adopt measures of satisfactory achievement and progress for student subgroups.
#28 Resolution of intent to rescind and adopt Rules 3301-35-01 to 3301-35-10 of the Administrative Code and to rescind Rules 3301-35-11 to 3301-35-14 of the Administrative Code regarding the Operating Standards for Ohio School Districts and Elementary and Secondary Schools.
4) Fix the Opportunity Gap: An editorial in the Akron Beacon Journal on December 6, 2014 calls on Governor Kasich and state lawmakers to close the “opportunity gap” between school districts in Ohio in the next state budget. The editorial cites an article in the Columbus Dispatch about an analysis of school district course offerings in the state. The analysis, which is available on the Dispatch web site, shows that 85 percent of poor rural districts have fewer courses than the state average compared to 18 percent of wealthier school districts. The analysis also shows that of the school districts offering fewer than 150 courses, “53 percent make a greater-than average effort to fund their schools.”
Not only do the students miss out on opportunities, because of the lack of resources at their school district, but the editorial notes that the “state suffers by failing to develop the pool of talent here.” The state is not meeting its constitutional obligation to provide a “thorough and efficient” education, the editorial goes on to say, and little has been achieved since the DeRolph Supreme Court decisions, which found that over-reliance on local funding was “driving the problems of inadequacy and inequity.”
See “An opportunity gap in Ohio public schools: The course offerings in wealthy suburban districts far outpace those in poor rural areas”, Akron Beacon Journal, December 6, 2014, at http://akronbeaconjournal.oh.newsmemory.com
See “Rural kids get fewer AP classes” by Catherine Candisky and Jim Siegel, Columbus Dispatch, November 30, 2014
at “http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/11/30/rural-kids-get-fewer-ap-classes.html
The Columbus Dispatch has developed a data base that compares the number of high school course offerings that school districts offer, including courses in the arts. The data base is at
http://www.dispatch.com/content/pages/data/school-education/high-school-courses/index.html
5) NASSP Requests Comments of Proposed VAM Position: The National Association of Secondary School Principals’ Board of Directors (NASSP) has posted on its website a statement about the purpose of Value Added Measures (VAMs) for a 60-day comment period. After the 60 days, the NASSP intends to adopt the Statement at its February 2015 meeting.
The NASSP statement includes research, guiding principles, and recommendations for using VAM from student test scores to evaluate and make key personnel decisions about classroom teachers.
The statement states that the “NASSP supports recommendations for the use of “multiple measures” to evaluate teachers as indicated in the 2014 “Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing” measurement standards released by leading professional organizations in the area of educational measurement, including the American Educational Research Association (AERA), American Psychological Association (APA), and National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME).”
The statement includes the following recommendations:
-Successful teacher evaluation systems should employ “multiple classroom observations across the year by expert evaluators looking to multiple sources of data, and they provide meaningful feedback to teachers.”
-Districts and States should encourage the use of Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) programs. These programs provide expert mentor teachers to support novice teachers and struggling veteran teachers, and have been proven to be an effective system for improving instruction.
-States and Districts should allow teacher-constructed portfolios of student learning to be used as a part of teacher evaluation systems. The portfolios been used in a number of jurisdictions successfully.
-VAMs should be used by principals to measure school improvement and to determine the effectiveness of programs and instructional methods.
-VAMs should be used by principals to target professional development initiatives.
-VAMs should not to be used to make key personnel decisions about individual teachers.
-States and Districts should provide ongoing training for Principals in the appropriate use student data and VAMs.
-States and Districts should make student data and VAMs available to principals at a time when decisions about school programs are being made.
-States and Districts should provide resources and time principals need in order to make the best use of data.
See the statement at http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=Value_Added_Measures_in_Teacher_Evaluation
FYI ARTS
•NEA Announces First Round of 2015 Grants: The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Jane Chu chairman, announced the agency’s first fiscal year 2015 grant awards on December 2, 2014. The grants, totaling $29.1 million, are awarded in three categories: Art Works, Challenge America, and NEA Literature Fellowships in Creative Writing. The awards support the arts and creativity to improve lives and communities in the United States.
-Art Works Grants: The Art Works grants support the creation of works and presentation of both new and existing works, lifelong learning in the arts, and public engagement with the arts through 13 arts disciplines or fields. The NEA will award 917 grants totaling $26,571,000 in this area.
A new Art Works funding priority called collective impact “will focus on collaborative, systematic approaches that involve entire schools, school districts, and/or states,” in communities. Seven projects will be funded through the collective impact initiative totaling $495,000. These grants will provide opportunities to an estimated 750,000 students.
The NEA also supports innovative projects that integrate the arts, science, and technology through several NEA disciplines.
-Literature Fellowships in Creative Writing Grants: NEA will award thirty-six poets Literature Fellowships in Creative Writing grants of $25,000. The grants can be used for research, travel, and career advancement.
-Challenge America Grants: The Challenge America grants total $1.63 million for 163 projects in 44 states. These are matching grants of $10,000 to support projects that provide opportunities in the arts for underserved populations.
Ohio will receive 23 grants totaling $552,000. The recipients include the following:
-Mary Biddinger - Creative Writing Fellowship Poetry
-Art Opportunity, Inc. Cincinnati
-Cincinnati Ballet
-Cincinnati Opera Association
-Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
-Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
-Kennedy Heights Art Center, Cincinnati
-Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati
-Cleveland International Film Festival, Inc.
-Cleveland Modern Dance Association
-Cleveland Museum of Art
-Cleveland Public Theatre, Inc.
-Cuyahoga Community College Foundation
-Musical Arts Association, Cleveland
-SPACES, Cleveland
-Zygot Press, Inc., Cleveland, OH
-Ballet Metropolitan, Columbus
-Wexner Center Foundation, Columbus
-Central Ohio Symphony, Delaware
-Kenyon Review, Gambier, OH
-Natalie Shapero, Creative Writing Fellowship in Poetry
-Newark Midland Theatre Association, Newark, OH
-Wassenberg Art Center Association, Van Wert, OH.
To learn more about these projects see http://arts.gov/sites/default/files/Fall_2014_Grant_List_by_State_FINAL.pdf
To learn more about the NEA grants see http://arts.gov/news/2014/national-endowment-arts-awards-29-million-arts-projects
