Meeting Summary
Virginia Board of Education
June 28, 2007
Appeals Process for Supplemental Educational Services Providers Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
The Board approved a process for potential supplemental educational services (SES) providers to appeal to the Board of Education if their application has been denied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, acting with authority delegated by the Board of Education.
Appeals Process for Instructional Interventions to Satisfy Provisions in Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia
The Board approved a process for potential providers of instructional interventions to appeal to the Board of Education if their application has been denied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, acting with authority delegated by the Board of Education.
Graduation Requirements in Westmoreland County
The Board accepted on first review a request from Westmoreland County to increase the number of credits required for graduation from 22 credits to 28 credits for a Standard Diploma, and from 24 credits to 30 for an advanced studies diploma. This is done in conjunction with Westmoreland’s planned to shift to block scheduling, opening up additional opportunities to earn credits for students. They propose to add one required credit in a personal finance course, and two required credits in career and technical education, with the remaining increases being electives. The number of required verified credits would remain unchanged.
Guidelines for Schools for Students with Disabilities Fund
The Board approved guidelines for the Schools for Students with Disabilities Fund. The 2006 Appropriation Act established a provision, known as the Schools for Students with Disabilities Fund, whereby individuals or businesses may receive tax credits for contributions made to private schools for students with disabilities when the donations are for the purpose of providing tuition assistance for students to attend the school. The Appropriation Act language specified that the Board of Education is to issue guidelines for the administration of this program which is effective on July 1, 2007.
The guidelines contain the following elements:
• Grant Administration: Provisions for receiving donations and disbursing the monies to private schools
• Tax Credit Administration: Provisions for awarding tax credits to donors
• Oversight and Recovery of Funds: Provisions for monitoring private schools’ use of donated funds and for recovery of funds under applicable conditions
Standards of Learning for Algebra, Functions and Data Analysis Course
The Board approved a new, optional high school mathematics course titled Algebra, Functions, and Data Analysis. The new offering is intended to assist students in building more advanced mathematical foundations in preparation for higher level mathematics coursework. The new course would help students to:
• model real world phenomena using algebra;
• analyze and represent algebraic relationships and functions using tables, equations, and graphs;
• translate easily between representations of functions;
• select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data; and
• develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data.
The course would be above the level of algebra and geometry but below Algebra II. This new, optional course could be used to satisfy a mathematics credit for graduation. There are no plans to develop an end-of-course assessment for this new course. The Department will follow course approval with the development of a curriculum framework.
Board of Education’s Comprehensive Plan: 2007-2012
The Board accepted on first review a revised Comprehensive Plan for 2007-2012. Changes to the plan include: consolidation of two objectives related to staffing into a single objective and the addition of an objective regarding the safety of the school environment. The Plan will be made available for a 45-day public comment period, with final action anticipated at the Board’s September 26th meeting.
Revised Guidelines for Family Life Education
The Board accepted for first review proposed changes in the Family Life Education curriculum guidelines to include information concerning dating violence and the characteristics of abusive relationships, per the requirements of HB 1916, passed during the 2007 Session of the General Assembly.
Cut Scores for the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program
The Board waived first review and approved cut scores for the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) which is intended to assess the achievement of students with significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to participate in the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessment program even with accommodations. The following tables summarize the cut scores for the achievement levels of pass/proficient and pass/advanced for reading, mathematics, science, and history/social sciences for the students in grades 3 through 5, 6 through 9, and 10 through 12.
Number of Points Needed to Achieve Each Proficiency Level
Band |
Reading |
History |
Mathematics |
Science |
3-5 Prof |
4 |
9 |
11 |
9 |
6-8 Prof |
4 |
9 |
11 |
9 |
HS Prof |
4 |
9 |
11 |
9 |
3-5 Adv |
6 |
13 |
15 |
13 |
6-8 Adv |
6 |
13 |
15 |
13 |
HS Adv |
6 |
13 |
16 |
13 |
Percentage of Points Required to Achieve Each Proficiency Level
Band |
Reading |
History |
Mathematics |
Science |
3-5 Prof |
50% |
56% |
55% |
56% |
6-8 Prof |
50% |
56% |
55% |
56% |
HS Prof |
50% |
56% |
55% |
56% |
3-5 Adv |
75% |
81% |
75% |
81% |
6-8 Adv |
75% |
81% |
75% |
81% |
HS Adv |
75% |
81% |
80% |
81% |
Guidelines Establishing an Incentive Program to Encourage and Recognize School Accountability Performance and Competence to Excellence (8VAC 20-131-325)
The Board of Education received on first review the proposed Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) incentive program. The VIP is intended to measure the extent to which students are progressing towards advanced proficiency levels in reading, mathematics, science, and history and social science and on other indicators of school and student performance, and to recognize and reward fully accredited schools and school divisions based on student performance.
In the proposed index, individual student scores are weighted according to the achievement levels of basic, proficient, and advanced with the advanced level having the highest weight. A VIP achievement measure (0 to 100 points) may be calculated at the school and division levels for combined performance across the four discipline areas in which SOL tests are administered. Bonus or additional points may be earned when a school or division meets or exceeds other performance objectives established for the program, such as reading on grade level by third grade, Algebra I enrollment by grade 8, college-level course enrollments, graduation rate, diploma types, career and technical credentials, and healthy students.
A tiered incentive and rewards system will be created to recognize levels of performance (points earned) on the Virginia Index of Performance. The proposed VIP program is scheduled for final approval by the Board at their July 25th meeting.
Reports
The Board received the Adult Education Annual Performance Report.