a strong voice for kids 2nd Congressional District
a strong voice for kids 2nd Congressional District
CHLOUBER: Attended the conference of the Colorado Council for Reading; it focused on types of reading materials and the latest research on reading. Seeing how many committed teachers there are was inspiring. It was very positive. This morning she and the Commissioner met with CASB's president and executive director. SBE will meet with their Board in April; we look forward to having a conversation with them. Pat will be administering CSAP next week in her classes. We don't want to put too much pressure on children, but let them know to do their best.
DEHOFF: Was on panel with music educators association about CSAP. They were glad to hear that SBE has no intention of developing a "paper and pencil test" on the arts and that we support the arts. The message is that we can't sacrifice arts education when we focus on CSAP. Arts develop and expand same skills and cognitive abilities as the CSAP content areas.
ORR: For last month he has been working on his own business, but spoke several times on character education. Today's newspaper mentions three students in Larimer County with similar plans to the Columbine killers; this is very troubling. CSAP and academic achievement are all well and good, but we've got to have safe schools. SBE has a resolution endorsing character education. We can't think that the problem of youth violence is going away.
STANFORD: Just a few days after our last Board meeting, we received notice of the death of Art Ellis, Assistant Commissioner, a very effective servant of public education. Some will remember that enthusiasm for arts education got Gully involved in "this fray." Art Ellis was a great champion of arts education, especially music. And diverse needs of our students. Gully went to Alexandria, Virginia, for the NASBE conference. A group in NASBE will be working on distance learning -- e-learning. E is for "electronic," but also for "everyone." Some of us were able to attend the recent meeting of the Interstate Migrant Council, at which Colorado is represented by former SBE member Pat Hayes. Perhaps we will be able to apply their information to a broader field. Gully has two children taking the CSAP next week; it will take priority over Valentine's Day. The healthy attitude Denver and Aurora school districts have about the CSAPs demonstrates that if we're teaching to the standards, students will do well on CSAP. Worked with Dick Elmer and Erlinda Archuleta on criticisms of English language learners taking CSAP to work out the problems, which were basically a result of SB 186 being somewhat flawed in its details.
HUDAK: I said that since joining the Board, I've gone to many different meetings and events, which demonstrate to me the wide variety of issues and needs in education. I gave several examples: Colorado School Health Council -- expressed the need for good health education and more school nurses. Colorado School Finance Project -- discussed the need to implement Amendment 23 properly -- SBE has taken an excellent position on this (supporting 6% funding for school finance out of the general fund); I commended my fellow Board members and the Commissioner for work on this position statement. Alliance for Quality Teaching & Public Education and Business Coalition -- incorporating people from outside the usual education arena. School Choice Fair -- demonstrated the great interest in choice and the amount available -- even within regular public schools. PEAK Conference on Inclusive Ed. -- discussed the needs of special education students -- to help with this, SBE just approved a contract for CSAP-A, which will be given to over 500 special education 4th graders this year. Boulder Valley's District Parent Council -- had a comprehensive and revealing discussion about the district's parents' feelings about the CSAP tests and school report cards. What I conclude from attending all of these is that this Board has an extraordinary scope of responsibility -- but also the ability to have an impact in many areas. I continue to feel very fortunate and honored to have the opportunity to be part of it.
POLIS: Warm congratulations to the teacher preparation programs we just approved and to school districts we just accredited. This is Take the Test Week -- Jared took the CSAP and commented that it's a challenging test. We like it because it is measurable and has objective criteria. Nobody argues that it measures how schools are doing, but some worry that it concentrates only on certain areas. We mustn't lose the fact that the goal of public education is more than these content areas -- thus the accreditation contracts require districts to tell how they will provide instruction and assessment in the other content areas. As we implement the other CSAPs over the next year, we will have in place the framework to measure progress over time.
BURNETT: [No report.]
COMMISSIONER MOLONEY: We shortly be announcing a memorial service at CDE for Art Ellis. Because we have a 9:30 a.m. meeting with the Governor, we will stop here.
Scheduled a hearing on April 12 to consider amendments to the Rules for the Administration of the Waiver of Statute and Rule. The SBE needs to consider amendments to the current regulations governing waivers to school districts and charter schools, because of legislative changes during the 2000 session, including both HB 1040 and SB 186.
Approved teacher preparation programs:
- Mesa State College - for elementary and secondary endorsements
- Regis University - for elementary, secondary, early childhood, and special education endorsements
- University of Colorado at Denver - for elementary, secondary, early childhood, and special education endorsements
Approved charter school waiver requests for Cesar Chavez Academy (Pueblo School District 60) for 3 years through 6-30-04; 240 students in grades K-5.
Approved a contract with Measured Progress Inc. (1-25-01 through 6-30-03) for the administrative training, actual administration, and reporting of results of the CSAP-A (alternative CSAP for students with significant disabilities, a performance-based assessment of their emerging literacy skills). It is estimated that there are about 500-600 students per grade level in Colorado who need this test. The CSAP-A will be given to 500-600 fourth graders in March or April of 2001. This is the first statewide administration of the test. A pilot administration was given in the spring of 2000 to approximately 100 third and fourth graders.
Approved accreditation contracts for the following school districts:
- Briggsdale (Weld County)
- Cheyenne Mountain (El Paso County)
- Creede (Mineral County)
- Fountain-Fort Carson (El Paso County)
- Fremont
- Lamar (Prowers County)
- Pueblo City 60
- Ridgway (Ouray County)
- Sangre De Cristo (Alamosa County)
William Pirraglia (Colorado Springs District 11) -- permanent revocation, based on conviction of one felony count of sexual assault on a child.
Approved the following teacher induction programs:
- Garfield School District
- Hinsdale County School District
- Make a Mess and Make Believe School
- Stanley British Primary School
The Educator Licensing Act of 1991 requires school districts wishing to hire provisionally licensed educators to have induction programs approved by the SBE for the schools at which the teachers will work. These programs provide for a "master teacher" to meet with and mentor new teachers.
Waived the PLACE assessments for Alternative Licensure candidates to Weld County School District until the application for a provisional license.
[Recent amendments to the Educator Licensing Act require that candidates for an alternative teacher license must have passed the content knowledge examination prior to accepting a contract as an alternative teacher. This waiver allows the San Juan BOCES to employ alternative teachers who have not yet passed the assessments but meet all other program requirements. The teachers will have to complete the assessments within a two-year period.]
Approved emergency Type III educator authorizations for 80 initially and 10 renewals. [Local districts may request Type III Emergency Authorization to employ non-licensed teachers, principals, administrators, or special services providers if they agree to provide an induction program. The SBE's approval is based on consideration of whether the district has demonstrated a shortage of licensed personnel and the employment of non-licensed personnel is essential to preserving the instructional program and to the well-being of the children enrolled.]
Made payments to school districts under the Public School Finance Act of $682,045,603.08 for the state share of total program for February 2001 through May 2001.
Granted a waiver extension of State Board rule to Cherry Creek School District, allowing DECA (Distributive Education) stores at all high schools to operate during the meal service time, thus in competition with the district's non-profit food service operation. The district reports that the waiver allows the participating students an enhanced educational experience, and the district food service director indicates that the competition is not adversely affecting the fiscal integrity of the food service operation.
The Board meeting was adjourned for an hour, during which time the SBE members went across the street to meet with Governor Owens. It was an informal discussion about various education issues, including the implementation of Amendment 23, amendments to SB 186, accreditation, CSAP, charter schools, parental involvement, and closing the learning gap.
(According to SBE operating procedures, the Board must have certain items on the agenda for information at the monthly meeting prior to approving them.)
TRIPP REYNOS: Requested that SBE require districts to compensate teachers appropriately with an equitably designed salary schedule. Currently, the percent of increase step by step is not even -- why?
JOE WILSON: Ute Creek Secondary Academy (charter school) - survived two successful votes as Aspen Ridge in front of this board, but lost three votes from the St. Vrain Valley school board. The charter school requested $240,000 from the CDE Grant for Charter Schools to reduce asbestos, but only got $82,500. Their charter will be revoked if they don't get the additional money. The Board's discussion revealed that our contingency funds generally go to districts -- Ute Creek should ask for a request from the district.
JEANETTE HENSLEY: (PTA president from Arvada High School) Presented a gift to show appreciation for all we do: the ornament commemorating AHS's 100th anniversary. Gave a brief history of AHS. This included mention of the fact that "Arvada" derives from a Biblical word meaning "fruitful and growing"; the city was named this because it was the middle name of the city's founder's brother. It was noted that AHS was one of first schools to allow women in sports. Polis moved a resolution to congratulate AHS; passed 6:1 (Burnett dissented, citing the Biblical reference).
STEVE SCHWEITZBERGER: He wanted to listen to our discussion about charter schools, before "we get into the topic of vouchers." He said that we need smaller schools and need to get away from the "factory mentality." He said that building facilities for charter schools slows things down too much; districts should consider contracting out a wing of an existing school. He is writing a report about Columbine.
Regarding the decision of the Jefferson County School District Board of Education to deny the charters for New Dimensions and Full Spectrum, the State Board voted 6:1 that the decision of the local board was contrary to the best interest of the pupils, the school district, or the community, and to remand the matter back to Jefferson County School District Board of Education for reconsideration. (Hudak dissented.)
Copyright © 2001-2007 Evie Hudak - All Rights Reserved