NYS Middle Level Liaisons Network As representatives of statewide middle level education, our purpose is to advocate for middle level needs, inform SED.

NYS Middle Level Liaisons Network

As representatives of statewide middle level education, our purpose

is to advocate for middle level needs, inform SED about ML issues,

and collaborate with SED on matters that impact Middle Level

Education.


Report from the Fall 2010 Meetingof the


Accountability

• The new accountability statuses were released by the state. They used the pervious cut points to determine accountability levels. If they used the new points, only 28% of schools would have met AYP! To avoid this there are three options:– Significantly increase student achievement– Reset the AMOs– Employ a growth model

• A growth model for school accountability is under development.


APPR and 3012-c

• The Regents Task Force is working on draft regulations that are due to the Commissioner in March. These are the four “types” of situations they are working through:– Teachers of Grades 4-8 ELA and math (two points of

information)– Teachers who have one state assessment (they are

looking to see if different exams in different subject can work)

– Teachers below grade 4– Teachers with no state assessment


Common Core State Standards

• Drafts of NY’s 15% addition to the Common Core State Standards for ELA have been posted for comment.

• Drafts of NY’s 15% addition to the Common Core State Standards for mathematics have been posted for comment.

• There is a survey tool that is collecting comments until November 29th.


Common Core State Standards

• Board of Regents for their review prior to acting on a new set of P-12 Mathematics Learning Standards in January 2011.

• Curriculum models will be developed that will be content-specific, spiraled, and will include sample tasks. For now, models will be optional.


Assessment• For 3-8 assessments, they raised cut scores for

Level 2 and Level 3 Proficiency. • For the future tests, they have included 25 to 30

percent more tested performance indicators on the math assessment and added audit items.

• They will test more new performance indicators, and make test items more difficult to predict.


Assessment• For Regents exams they are considering

changing the scales from 1-100 points to a system like that used for the 3-8 assessments. This would allow greater alignment in theP-20 data system.


Assessment• Budget shortfalls continue in the Regents

Examination System. Either they will receive additional funding from the legislature, continue to cut back on examinations and translations, or impose a tax on school districts to pay for the Regents exams (there are several different methodologies under consideration for this).


Assessment• The purpose of the under-development PARCC

assessments for high school (2014-2015) is to improve accountability and teaching and learning by measuring students’ college and career readiness.


Teaching Standards

• A DRAFT of Teaching Standards has been written.

• These are being handed off to the Regents Task Force for incorporation into their work on the 3012-c process.

• Rubrics could be expected for the performance indicators. There are several groups working on rubrics in parallel.


Teaching Standards

• The Task Force is scheduled to make recommendations to the Commissioner in March.

• Draft regulations are due out for comment in April with adoption in June for July implementation.

• In the future, these Teaching Standards will be used with pre-service teachers, examinations (including performance pieces), and certification.


Essential Elements:Schools-to-Watch

• The Middle Level Liaisons have been an integral part of the Essential Elements: Schools-to-Watch (EE:STW) program, from paper review to site visits to applying to the program.

• 6th cohort is under review now. • Applications for the 7th cohort are due July 15th,

2011.



• Another myth is that a school which applies but is not recognized is a bad school.

• Not true; schools not selected are typically very good schools that just need a little more time to demonstrate sustainability.

• Or, a school must have just a few things in need of attention.


Myth-

Busting!


• Another myth is that there is a fee to apply. • Again, not true. There is no fee to apply. • Schools that are recognized, however, are

expected to attend some conferences and open their doors to visitors.


Myth-

Busting!


• The myth that the National Forum criteria are different than the New York State criteria is also untrue.

• Actually, they are organized differently but are, in essence, the same.


Myth-

Busting!

Best Practices• The NYS Middle School Association is

continuing to collect best practices in middle level education.

• More, however, are needed. • A hard copy of the practices is in the works, as

well as an electronic format. • “No school has it all figured out, but almost all

schools have something figured out.” Let’s collect these practices.


Best Practices• It is not the intention to jury submissions, but

rather to collect and share ideas. • A new automated process has been developed

to expedite the collection of best practices.• Simply visit the form to submit.


https://spreadsheets0.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGx3UXdTR1VFd1ZmNFNBY2xKZVhkZ1E6MA

Indicators of Success• The research has shown that there are several

indicators in grades 6-9 that predicted drop-out which were defined as being “off-track” with attendance (less than 80%), behavior (low level), academic achievement in math and English (grades, not state tests).

• Failing ELA in the 6th grade predicts a 20% drop in potential graduation.

• Course failure is the critical indicator, not test scores.


Graduation Requirements• The Board of Regents (and SED) are

considering a revision of graduation requirements.

• The Regents are considering the addition of requirements including an additional science course, additional math course, and a college and career readiness credit (CET course, college course, or advanced course).


Graduation Requirements• They are also talking about increasing the score

on Regents exams that will be required to pass those Regents which are connected to college readiness (an ELA and math Regents).

• Recommendations to lengthen the school year are also being discussed (this would take legislative action). They have recognized that more stringent requirements could result in lower graduation rates in high-need, low-resourced communities.


Graduation Requirements• Greater flexibility in courses in middle school could

be included. For example:– Allowing students to begin fulfilling graduation

requirements in grades 6 and 7

– Allowing students to take additional courses in the core subjects to postpone taking one for more of their non-core classes until high school

– Allowing schools to use advanced curriculum models in middle school (not sure what this means)

– Allowing schools to offer integrated courses (such as STEM) or interdisciplinary courses


Graduation Requirements• Virtual learning has been a focus of the

department, trying to figure out how to increase the opportunities for this avenue.

• A draft of policy guidelines for online learning was circulated this fall.

• The intent is to use guidance documents rather than policy change to govern online learning (if possible).


http://www.ocmboces.org/tfiles/folder874/onlinelearningduidancedraft.pdf


As representatives of statewide middle level education, our purpose

is to advocate for middle level needs, inform SED about ML issues,

and collaborate with SED on matters that impact Middle Level

Education.

NYS Middle Level Liaisons Network As representatives of statewide middle level education, our purpose is to advocate for middle level needs, inform SED.

Documents

middle level needs

math assessment

teaching standards

regents exams

school accountability

new points

mathematics learning

new accountability statuses