Meeting Summary
Virginia Board of Education
October 22, 2009
Revisions to the Standards of Quality
The Board adopted proposed revisions to the Standards of Quality. These recommended changes will be forwarded to the Governor and the chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees for their consideration during the 2010 General Assembly Session.
One change was adopted to the September 17 draft amendments to Standard 2 of the Standards of Quality (§ 22.1-253.13:2 of the Code of Virginia) which now adds clarifying language to the provisions related to special education to define Levels I and Level II services. The definitions are taken from the definitions in the Board’s Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia (8 VAC 20-81-10), effective July 7, 2009.
Each local school board shall employ licensed, full-time equivalent positions in necessary to comply with the following requirements for special education services for students requiring either Level I or Level II services. Level I services, means the provision of special education to children with disabilities for less than 50 percent of their instructional school day (excluding intermission for meals). Level II services, means the provision of special education and related services to children with disabilities for 50 percent or more of the instructional school day (excluding intermission for meals). The time that a child receives special education services is calculated on the basis of special education services described in the individualized education program, rather than the location of services.
The following is the Board’s entire “Recommended Policy Directions and Options for Revisions to the Standards of Quality” as originally presented at their September meeting.
Policy Directions
• Enhance the Standards of Quality so that the Commonwealth’s basic foundation program for K-12 public education reflects a comprehensive educational program of the highest quality.
• Provide clarity and greater transparency in SOQ funding with the goal of maintaining the Commonwealth’s commitment to public education funding at the state and local levels and encouraging a continued emphasis on school-based instructional services. Provide greater flexibility to school divisions in using non-instructional personnel funding for instructional support services.
• Support the appropriateness of establishing ratio standards for individual categories of “support service” positions as is the current practice used for instructional personnel.
• Advocate against permanent structural changes to the Standards of Quality that result in decreased funding for K-12 public education.
• Begin building a more comprehensive basic foundation program by including in the SOQ gifted, special education, and career and technical staffing ratios and certain incentive programs that have become core components of K-12 educational programs statewide and currently funded in the appropriations act.
• Set priorities for the Board’s unfunded SOQ recommendations from previous years so that these instructional staffing standards can be fully implemented in future years.
• Begin to address the Board’s school leadership priorities of requiring a principal in every school and increasing the number of assistant principals in schools with the greatest need.
• Mitigate the perverse incentive of reducing a school division’s special education funding when it mainstreams students with disabilities into general education classrooms or uses response to intervention (RTI) and/or other instructional supports to reduce the number of students identified as needing special education services.
• Provide additional policy guidance and direction to school divisions offering alternative or non-traditional educational programs, such as the Individual Student Alternative Education Program (ISAEP).
SOQ Language Revisions to Address Policy Directions
• Codify the Board of Education’s recommendation that was included in the 2009 Appropriation Act providing flexibility in the use of existing funds for hiring reading specialists, mathematics specialists, data coordinators, and instruction of English language learners.
• Codify the provisions of the Early Intervention Reading Initiative and the Algebra Readiness program by including them in the Standards of Quality and requiring all school divisions to provide these interventions with funding currently appropriated for these incentive programs.
• Codify the appropriation act provision that the Standards of Quality includes a minimum of 58 licensed, full-time instructional positions per 1,000 students, including instructional positions for special education, gifted education, and career and technical education.
• Codify the staffing standards for special education (currently in regulations), gifted education (currently in the appropriation act), and career and technical education (currently in regulations).
• Provide school divisions the flexibility to deploy assistant principals to the schools with the greatest needs, so long as they employ a sufficient number of assistant principals division-wide to meet the total number required in the current SOQ staffing requirement.
• Define the categories of personnel who make up “support services,” specify how those positions are funded, and require transparency in the use of funds by mandating divisions publicly report the state and local amounts budgeted and expended for each category.
• Permit school divisions to use funds for support services to provide additional instructional services and include instructional services as a separate category to be reported publicly.
Issues for Further Study
As resources become available, conduct a comprehensive study of the following complex funding issues and report the findings to the Governor and General Assembly for consideration as part of the 2010 review of the SOQ.
• The feasibility of converting the prevailing costs for each major category of the “support services” positions into ratios (for example, based on positions per 1,000 students), and including ratios for some or all of the categories in the appropriation act.
• The feasibility of establishing alternative staffing approaches to provide school divisions with additional instructional resources to address identified needs. This could include ratios based on positions per 1,000 students for assistant principals, school counselors, and library-media specialists that would reduce funding “cliffs.” It could also include assigning weights for students who may be at-risk and require additional support, including special education services, services to English language learners, and services to disadvantaged students.
• The feasibility of creating a special education incentive fund or other funding methodologies to mitigate the perverse incentive of reducing a school division’s special education funding when it mainstreams students with disabilities into general education classrooms or uses response to intervention (RTI) and/or other instructional supports to reduce the number of students identified as needing special education services.
• The feasibility of updating technology staffing ratios, taking into consideration the increased role of technology in instruction, assessment, and operations since staffing standards were first established in the SOQ.
• The feasibility of updating career and technical education staffing ratios, taking into consideration the (1) implementation of new curricular pathways that require high-tech equipment and specialized instruction and (2) anticipated increased enrollments in CTE courses given the newly created standard technical and advanced technical diplomas.
Certification of Braille Instructors
The Board accepted on first review a recommendation from the Virginia Advisory Board on Teacher Education and Licensure (ABTEL) regarding the certification of Braille instructors, pursuant to a mandate from the 2009 Virginia General Assembly (HB 2224). ABTEL recommends that a reliable, valid, and legally defensible assessment available statewide (to be determined) demonstrating Braille proficiency prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education be required for individuals seeking an initial license with an endorsement in Special Education-Visual Impairments. Additionally, contingent upon available funding, opportunities for licensed teachers with the endorsement in Visual Impairments be afforded additional professional development in the teaching of Braille. ABTEL also supports the Virginia Board of Education’s efforts to include teachers of visual impairments in the Standards of Quality funding formula.
Curriculum Framework for 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning
The Board approved proposed revisions to the Curriculum Framework for the 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning. The major elements of the proposed revised Curriculum Framework for the 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning include:
• Specificity and clarity of the scope and intent of each of the 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning;
• Instructional focus for each strand in each grade K-8;
• Growth in the level at which content is presented and increased rigor in each of the six strands in K-8;
• Evidence of the path through K-7 to Algebra I;
• Continued growth from the Patterns, Functions, and Algebra strand in K-8 through Algebra I; Algebra, Functions, and Data Analysis; and Algebra II; and
• Increased emphasis on probability and statistics at the high school level in alignment with recommendations from Achieve, the College Board, ACT, and other organizations and current
Proposed Revised English Standards of Learning
The Board accepted for first review proposed revisions to the English Standards of Learning. The major elements of the proposed revised English Standards of Learning include:
• Edits to enhance clarity, specificity, rigor, alignment of skills and content, and a reflection of the current academic research and practice;
• Emphasis on vertical alignment in grades 4-12;
• Addition of the media literacy content in the communication strand;
• Addition of the research strand beginning in grade four;
• Addition of the specific vocabulary standards in high school; and
• Addition of 21st Century Skills.
The English Standards of Learning review work plan calls for public hearings, final review, and adoption of the English Standards of Learning by the Board of Education by January 2010.
Proposed Revised Science Standards of Learning
The Board accepted for first review proposed revisions to the Science Standards of Learning. The major elements of the proposed revised Science Standards of Learning include:
• Edits to enhance clarity, specificity, rigor, alignment of skills and content, and a reflection of the current academic research and practice;
• The application of science concepts through technology, engineering and mathematics;
• Addition of standards in Kindergarten, Grade Four and Chemistry; and
• Deletion of standards in Life Science, Chemistry and Physics.
The Science Standards of Learning review work plan calls for public comment, public hearings, final review, and adoption of the Science Standards of Learning by the Board of Education by winter 2010.
Educational Technology Plan for 2009-2015
The Board accepted for first review the Educational Technology Plan for Virginia: 2009-15. The plan includes goals and objectives with particular strategies for implementation as well as evaluation. Recent research applicable to each of the five focus areas of the conceptual framework is summarized, and the various characteristics of the focus areas are more fully explained. Three appendices provide further detail: Essential Elements of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Literacy, Status of Technology Use in Virginia, and Division Plan Alignment: 2009-15.
The proposed revisions to the plan will be posted on the Department of Education’s web site for 20 days to provide the opportunity to review them and offer comments. It is anticipated that the final plan will be presented to the Board at its November 17 meeting with a request for final approval.
Annual Report on the Condition and Needs of Public Schools in Virginia
The Board accepted for first review the 2009 Annual Report on the Condition and Needs of Public Schools in Virginia. The contents of the report include the following major headings:
• Summary of the Academic Progress of Virginia’s Students
• Critical Areas of Need for the Public Schools in Virginia
• The Board of Education’s Plan of Action
• The Board’s Performance Measures: Addressing the Needs of Public Schools
• Compliance with the Requirements of the Standards of Quality
• Compliance with the Standards of Accreditation
• Review of the Standards of Quality
The report also contains appendices directly addressing the information specified in § 22.1-18 of the Code of Virginia, as follows:
• Virginia Assessment Program Results: 2005-2009
• Demographics of Virginia’s Public Schools
• List of School Divisions Reporting Full Compliance with the SOQ: 2008-2009
• School Divisions Reporting Noncompliance with SOQ: 2008-2009
• Divisions with All Schools Fully Accredited, Schools Granted Conditional Accreditation, Schools Rated Accredited with Warning, and Schools Rated Accreditation Denied: 2008- 2009
• Standards of Quality: Board of Education
The report will be finalized and submitted for approval by the Board at their November 17 meeting.
Additional Reports
The Board received a report on Career and Technical Education Programs in Petersburg City Public Schools, the Annual Report on Regional Alternative Education Programs, and the annual report from the Virginia Council for Private Education.