April 2015 – In This Issue
In the Spotlight...
Left Column:
Right Column:
New York State Budget and Reform Agenda
The New York State Legislature and Governor Cuomo have adopted budget
proposals that include major policy changes for education. The NYS School Boards Association and the NYS Council of School
Superintendents perspectives on the 2015 state budget bill education reforms
appear below:
About School Funding Gaps
This Hechinger Report analyzes how funding of schools has created a greater
economic gap across the US with comparison of state data:
The gap between
rich and poor schools grew 44 percent over a decade – the Hechinger Report.
Another Way to Improve Student Achievement
While there is much angst about what makes students and schools successful,
here is a district looking to build success on criteria beyond testing. The
concept is new and judging its impact will take a bit more time.
This
District Is Trying To Improve Student Achievement By Making Kids Feel Good
About Themselves.
What Impact Might Opting Out Have on Teacher Evaluations
This article sheds light on intended and unintended consequences of opt-out
from state testing. The interpretation of data with or without a full
complement of students is certainly worth considering.
Click
here to read more.
Parent Teacher Data Conferences
A new way to hold parent-teacher conversations, data sharing conferences
hold great promise for improved student outcomes through stronger parent and
family engagement. Education leaders prepare easy-to-read data reports to
improve a parent/family understanding of the key elements of student
success. With these data packets, parents and teachers are having focused,
shared conversations around student learning and what can be done to improve
individual performance at school and at home.
Sharing Data to Create
Stronger Parent Partnerships.
April is Autism Awareness Month
National Autism Awareness Month represents an excellent opportunity to
promote autism awareness and acceptance and to draw attention to the tens of
thousands facing an autism diagnosis each year. Click
here for more.
Special Education Webinar
National PTA will offer a webinar about Special Education on Monday April
20 at 1:00pm. It is entitled “The Ins and Outs of Special Education” and
will focus on issues that parents face as well as how a PTA can support
them. You can register
here.
Alternate Exams
Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) have released
a new proposal to update the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No
Child Left Behind). This proposal would keep the 1% rule that would allow
students with disabilities to be counted as proficient for taking alternate
exams. Read more
here.
Funding for Juvenile Justice: NYS Budget Includes Raise the Age
Provisions
According to the NYS Division of Budget website, “the 2015-16 Executive
Budget begins the implementation of Commission on Youth, Public Safety and
Justice recommendations to raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction from age
16 to age 18.” These recommendations were “made with regard for both public
safety of the community and improving outcomes for young offenders and their
families.
The Budget includes $25 million to support the planning, creation
and expansion of services for 16 and 17 year old youth involved in the
criminal justice system and to place newly sentenced 16 and 17 year old
youth in OCFS facilities.” Juvenile jurisdiction would extend to age 17 on
January 1, 2017 and to age 18 on January 1, 2018. Read more
here.
As part of budget proposal #62: Raise the Age legislation will be introduced
to implement the recommendations by the Governor’s Commission to reform the
juvenile justice system. Click
here to read more.
