Thursday, April 14, 2011

State Board Approves Accountability Regulation

At its regular meeting on Wednesday, the Kentucky Board of Education approved the state regulation that defines the first component of the state’s new accountability system for public schools.

The new regulation – 703 KAR 5:200 – outlines the Next-Generation Learners component of the overall accountability system mandated by 2009’s Senate Bill 1. The regulation provides details on how student test results, efforts to close achievement gaps, student academic progress, college/career readiness and graduation rates will be used to gauge public schools and school districts.

The board made a few minor changes to the regulation, which now moves through the standard process for approval of all state regulations.

The board heard discussion of another new state regulation (703 KAR 5:220) that outlines how schools and districts will be classified under the new accountability system. The regulation also provides guidelines related to support for struggling schools. The board will continue discussion of this regulation at its June meeting.

The board also discussed content for a regulation related to Program Reviews and heard information about the expansion of the AdvanceKentucky program.

The board took the following actions:

  • voted to approve a resolution supporting the Commonwealth Commitment to College and Career Readiness Pledge

  • agreed to uphold Education Commissioner Terry Holliday’s decision related to the disbanding of the Christian County High School school-based decision making council

  • approved the appointment of (Ms.) Dana Guyton of Louisville as an at-large member of the Kentucky High School Athletics Board of Control

  • approved a request for an alternative school-based decision making council model for Mt. Sterling Elementary in Montgomery County

  • approved the selection of EdisonLearning and Mosaica Turnaround Partners as external management organizations, as enabled by KRS 160.346 for assistance to low-performing schools

  • approved the Kenton County Board of Education’s request for a waiver of a section of state regulation 704 KAR 3:340, which outlines criteria for the Commonwealth Diploma

  • approved the Paducah Independent Board of Education’s request for a waiver of a section of 704 KAR 3:305, which outlines the minimum requirements for high school graduation

The board heard an appeal of the commissioner’s decision related to the 2011-12 nonresident student agreement between the Harlan County and Harlan Independent school districts. After presentations from both districts, discussion and deliberation, the board agreed to uphold the commissioner’s decision on this issue.

The board heard presentations and had discussions on these items:

  • recommendations from the Governor’s Transforming Education in Kentucky Task Force

  • 2010-2012 biennial budget

  • 2011 elementary and secondary legislation

  • state regulation 702 KAR 6:110, Claim Reimbursement for School and Community Nutrition

  • an audit update and review of the commissioner’s and board’s expenses

  • state regulation 704 KAR 3:340, Locally Awarded Certificates of Merit (formerly Commonwealth Diploma Program)

The Kentucky Board of Education’s next regular meeting is scheduled for June 8 in Frankfort. The board will hold a work session on June 7 at 1 p.m. in Frankfort.

SOURCE: KDE Press release

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