Meeting Summary
Virginia Board of Education
February 21, 2008
Report from the Board of Education’s 2007-08 Student Advisory Committee
The Board received a report from its Student Advisory Committee. This committee is composed of 8 high school students and 4 middle school students from eight regions across the state including one student from Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology. This year, the committee will work on the following priorities:
1) Effective Integration of Technology Into the Curriculum; 2) Positive Student-Faculty Relationships; and 3) Communication of State Funded Programs to Students. The Committee will provide the Board with a report of its research and recommendations regarding these issues in April.
Rescinding Current English Language (ELP) Standards of Learning and Approval of World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) ELP Standards
The Board accepted for first review the rescinding of the current English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards of Learning and the adoption of the WIDA ELP standards.
The WIDA ELP standards support the English language development of English Language Learners (ELLs). The goal of the standards is to provide the foundation to enable ELLs to achieve academically in all content areas. There are five WIDA ELP standards that are represented in the following grade clusters: Pre-K-K; 1-2; 3-5; 6-8; and 9-12. Additionally, each standard encompasses six levels of English language proficiency as well as four language domains. The levels of English language proficiency are: entering, beginning, developing, expanding, bridging, and reaching. The four language domains are: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Finally, the standards contain both formative and summative model performance indicators. The WIDA ELP standards will be presented to the Board for final review in March 2008. Following final review, the WIDA consortium will provide training to school divisions on implementation of the
standards.
Proposed Standards for the Governor’s Career and Technical Education Exemplary Standards Awards
The Board accepted for first review the proposed standards for the Governor’s Career and Technical Education Exemplary Standards Awards Program. The Governor’s Career and Technical Education Exemplary Standards Awards Program is based on twelve standards, each with accompanying indicators or benchmarks. The standards are grouped into three areas: Program Excellence, Educational Significance, and Evidence of Effectiveness and Success.
Board of Education’s Charter School Application Review Committee on a Proposed Public Charter School Application from the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts in Richmond, VA
The Board received a report from the Charter School Application Review Committee.
The Charter School Application Review Committee met on December 10, 2007, to examine the public charter school application submitted by the Patrick Henry School of
Science and Arts in Richmond, Virginia. The committee reviewed the application based on the three criteria established by the Board and stipulated in the law; i.e. feasibility, curriculum, and financial soundness. The committee’s suggestions have been forwarded to the applicant. The standards will be presented to the Board of Education for final review in March.
Report on Status of 2008 General Assembly Actions
The Board accepted a report summarizing the House and Senate budget versions to be adopted by their respective bodies as well as a report on the status of key education bills.
In addition, the Board formally adopted a Resolution strongly endorsing the Governor’s level of funding for the Standards of Quality, rebenchmarking, and teachers’ salaries. This resolution will be forwarded to the General Assembly.