Tuesday, May 26, 2015

PARCC Shortens Its Common-Core Test

Education Week
Published Online: May 21, 2015
 
In the face of rising opposition to testing, the PARCC consortium has decided to carve 90 minutes off its 10- to 11-hour-long assessment, and shift the start of testing to later in the school year.

The redesign of the test was approved Wednesday in a unanimous phone-conference vote by the board of governors of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC. Eleven states and the District of Columbia belong to the consortium, which created tests aligned to the Common Core State Standards. The revised design will take effect with the 2015-16 PARCC tests in English/language arts and mathematics, which are given to students in grades 3-11.
In addition to shortening the test, the new design also folds PARCC’s two testing windows into one 30-day window, and requires that states wait until three-quarters of the way through the school year before starting the testing period.

Currently, PARCC states have a 12-week window to give the longer, more-complex performance tasks, between Feb. 16 and May 8. They have an eight-week window for the end-of-year component, which contains shorter-answer items: from April 13 to June 5. Within those windows, states choose 20-day periods in which to administer the tests.

Next year, states will have one 30-day period to give the tests. It can’t begin until 75 percent of instruction has been completed—day 133 in a 180-day instructional year—and it must be finished by the time 90 percent of instruction has been completed.

This year, teachers in states that began early—such as Ohio, which opened its testing season on Feb. 16—complained that they hadn’t had enough time to teach their material before testing began.

Read more HERE
 
 
 

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Commissioner Resolution on DRRA's for 5/19/15

Did anyone happen to notice the below Resolution on the commissioners agenda for Tuesday, May 19th under Approval Items?

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF CHARLES COUNTY, MARYLAND
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-_____
A Resolution concerning
CHARLES COUNTY DEVELOPMENT
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AGREEMENT
FOR THE PURPOSE OF suspending temporarily consideration of development rights and responsibilities agreements (“DRRAs”) in which the County is requested to issue school allocations in exchange for monetary payments.
WHEREAS, Chapter 297, Zoning Regulations, Article XVI, Adequate Public Facilities Requirements of the Code of Charles County, Maryland, requires developers to demonstrate that a proposed subdivision for development will not adversely affect the adequacy of public facilities, including schools, serving the area, project or development; and
WHEREAS, §297-259B of the Code of Charles County, Maryland provides that no final plat for residential subdivision or development services permit for a residential site plan shall be approved until school capacity allocations have been granted by the Director of the Department of Planning and Growth Management; and
WHEREAS, Maryland law, Land Use Article of the Maryland Annotated Code §7-301, et seq. (“Land Use Article”), grants Charles County the authority to establish procedures and requirements for the consideration and execution of the DRRAs; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to Land Use Article, §7-301 et seq, and Chapter 297, Zoning Regulations, Article XXX, Development Rights and Responsibilities Agreements, of the Code of Charles County, Maryland, Charles County, Maryland, the County Commissioners, are authorized to enter into binding development rights and responsibility agreements with any party having legal or equitable interest in real property; and
WHEREAS, the County Commissioners and developers of real property have entered into DRRAs under which the County has agreed to provide school capacity allocations for development in certain quantities and at certain specified times in exchange for monetary payments; and
WHEREAS, in March, 2013, the County Commissioners appointed the Adequate Public Facilities Committee to study and report on the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance as it relates to school allocations to ensure the policy is achieving its goals and to present solutions to address the situation of certain schools being over capacity; and
WHEREAS, in May, 2014, the Adequate Public Facilities Committee delivered a report to the County Commissioners which contained a detailed analysis and a series of recommendations; and
WHEREAS, the County Commissioners have requested the staff of the Department of Planning and Growth Management and the Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services to study the statutes, rules and policies of the State of Maryland and the County in connection with the funding of the capital costs of constructing school capacity to accommodate new development in the County and, if appropriate, to propose changes to law and policy for the purpose of ensuring that the County is able to fund these capital costs in a fair, effective and timely manner; and
WHEREAS, the County Commissioners have requested the staff of the Department of Planning and Growth Management to study the County’s laws, manuals and policies, including the approval of DRRAs, which govern the determination and allocation of school capacity and are fashioned to ensure that development proceeds where school capacity is reasonably available and, if appropriate, to propose changes for the purpose of ensuring that school capacity allocations are granted in a fair, effective and timely manner; and
WHEREAS, the County Commissioners have directed staff to provide a report and recommendations on or before November 1, 2015.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
(1) That the Director of the Department of Planning and Growth Management shall suspend, until November 14, 2015, consideration of applications filed after the effective date of this resolution, for DRRAs in which the County is requested to issue school allocations in exchange for monetary payments.
(2) That this Resolution shall become effective upon the date if its adoption.
ADOPTED this _____ day of __________________, 2015.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
CHARLES COUNTY, MARYLAND
______________________________
Peter F. Murphy, President
______________________________
Ken Robinson, Vice President
_____________________________
Debra M. Davis, Esq.
______________________________
Amanda M. Stewart, M.Ed.
ATTEST:
______________________________ Bobby Rucci
Carol DeSoto, Acting
Clerk to the Commissioners

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 5/12/15

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, May 12 will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ . To view the full agenda and the various reports, please visit BoardDocs .

The below notes are my personal notes and are not intended to be all-inclusive or official minutes for the Board of Education meetings and are provided as a request from my supporters and the general public in a personal effort to be more transparent. Although I have diligently tried to make these notes as unbiased and accurate as possible, I am only human and do make mistakes.

Executive session – 12 p.m.
 
Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, Thomas Stone High School JROTC
 
Superintendent’s update - Report
 
Correspondence/Board Member updates
  • Palko - All County Band & Chorus, Skills USA - Conratulations
  • Marshall - # of citizens who watch the televised board meeting.  We are not a political body but a governing body.
  • Kelly - Yolanda Judge congratulations for Parents Matter Award; Kudos to Matula band and chorus for performance
  • Crawford - Elem. Math Challenge, lots of fun, kudos
  • Lukas - Kiwanis Clubs in County - Thank you
  • McGraw - Letter from teacher, "Thanks for standing behind us and the $1,000 bonus" - Robin Riddick
Education Association of Charles County update - Report

Student Board Member update - Report

Matthew Henson Middle School’s anti-bullying initiative - Presentation

Principal evaluations
Communications update
 Solar field projects - Oral report

Educational facilities master plan - Report
  • Lukas - questions revolving around Mudd and addition when enrollment seems to be decreasing at that school
Teacher evaluations and curriculum repository - Report

Credit recovery at Thomas Stone High School - Presentation

2016-17 calendar - Report
  • Lukas - shortening of spring break and winter break in exchange for ending earlier in June
Legislative update - Unavailable at this time

Unfinished business -
  • Abell - Meeting with CSM scheduled yet
  • Hill - Not yet; will be scheduled by end of year
  • Kelly - Quarterly meetings with commissioners; next one not scheduled
  • McGraw - has not been done yet
  • Kelly - College and Career Readiness Update
  • Hill - waiting for data
New business - None

Future agenda items
  • Kelly - request subcommittees for policy review
  • Lukas - staff overview of broad categories of policy
  • Crawford - questioned need to review policy at this time
  • Benson - Requests review transferring eligibility to play sports to say all extra curricular activities to match current policy on GPA or get rid of all together
  • Palko - PTO Guidelines adopted
  • Lawson - Jones has worked with the PTO council and it has been adopted and will be disbursed to board members
  • Kelly - Information sharing with Board members in regards to incidents at schools such as if emergency services are called are media is involved.
Recognition – 4:30 p.m.
  • Resolution: Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership Award – Thadine Wright, principal, J.C. Parks Elementary School
  • Students - Rebecca White, 5th grade, Academic Achievement, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School, Principal: Verniece Rorie; Zaria Smith, 5th grade, Academic Achievement, Mary B. Neal Elementary School, Principal: Carol Leveillee; Jasmine Forbes, 8th grade, Career Readiness, Mattawoman Middle School, Principal: Douglass Dolan; Desiree Satchell, 12th grade, Personal Responsibility, North Point High School, Principal: Michael Simms
  • Staff - Joanne Brown, occupational therapist/special education teacher, F.B. Gwynn Center, Principal: Daphne Burns; Connie Mattingly, learning resource teacher, Mitchell; Julie Colaizzi, science teacher, Neal; Debra A. Van Roon, language arts teacher, Mattawoman; Pamela Jones, Culinary Arts teacher, North Point
  • Recognition of 2014-15 student liaisons - Georgia Benson, Student member of the Board, Westlake High School; Maya Kidane, alternate Student member of the Board, North Point High School; Chelsea Cox-Brown, Thomas Stone High School; Amanda Hobgood, Henry E. Lackey High School; Aaron King, Maurice J. McDonough High School; Thomas Martin, La Plata High School; Paris Mercier-White, St. Charles High School
Public Forum – 6 p.m.
  • Deb Vahle - Stetham Center Explorers Program.  Greenhouse.  Grow plants, flowers, operate tractors, career readiness, job entry, etc.  Proud of her son who is preparing to start his own company and thankful for the alternative teaching.
  • Jonathan Koger? - disappointed in the education system in CCPS.  Music is important.  Middle School son had to make a choice between music and another program.  Disservice to our students.  Competing at Towson this Saturday as a 6th grade student for clarinet but will not be participating next year because he chose technology.  Decision he shouldn't have to make.  Unfortunate.
  • Conor Orsillo - 10yo Malcolm Elem.  Big Buddy Little Buddy Program.  When entering 6th grade, assigned a 7th grader as a big buddy, a go to person for anything.  Someone who looks out for me and I look out for him.  The 7th grader will have a Grand buddy in 8th grade. :) and when i'm in 7th grade I get a little buddy. Same for high school.  can be matched by sports interest or clubs.
Action items
Motion to approve the Minutes by Abell; Second by Marshall
Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko
  • Personnel
Motion to approve Personnel by Abell; Second by Kelly
Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko
Motion to approve the intercategory budget transfer request by Lukas; Second by Marshall
Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko
Adjournment

Monday, May 11, 2015

'You are smart!' Teachers send inspirational letter to primary school pupils ahead of crucial exams

Daily Mail.com
May 10, 2015
By Jenny Awford for MailOnline

Parents have praised a primary school for sending an inspirational letter to Year 6 pupils telling them there 'are many ways of being smart' ahead of their crucial exams.
Teachers at Buckton Vale Primary School in Cheshire penned a message to students aged between 10 and 11 saying their SATs will not assess what makes them 'special and unique'.
The letter highlights the children's talents including their natural ability for sports, singing, playing musical instruments and speaking several languages.
It said: 'Next week you will sit your SATs tests for maths, reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation. We know how hard you have worked, but there is something very important you must know:
'The SATs test does not assess all what makes each of you special and unique. The people who create these tests and score them do not know each of you the way that we do and certainly not in the way your families do.'
They were also told how their laughter can brighten the darkest day and that the examiners do not know the pupils are kind, trustworthy and thoughtful. 
It was signed by the deputy headteacher Mrs Brown along with two other teachers and has been shared more than 51,000 times on Facebook.
'They have not seen your natural talent for dancing or playing a musical instrument,' it continued.
'They do not know that your friends can count on you to be there for them; that your laughter can brighten the darkest day or that your face turns red when you feel shy.'
Hundreds of parents have praised the school for the 'heartwarming' letter which helped ease the pressure on the students. 
Helen Foster said: 'I've shown this to my daughter who also is sitting SATs next week. It's a nice way to say how proud i am to have her as my daughter.'
Donna Owen said: 'I have 11-year-old twins who sit their SATs next week, they go to a different school but your letter was shared by a group of friends, I sat and read it with them with a tear because it's so true, would like to wish everyone good luck for next week and thank you for sharing this letter.'
Joanne Gubb said: 'I have just shared this to my son and his friends. What a fantastic thoughtful letter to send to the children. 
'Only wish our school has the insight to send something similar. Such enormous pressure on young shoulders but this sums it up perfectly! Good luck to all the kids taking exams this week.'
The letter goes on to say that exams are not the most important things in life and that they will not tell you 'everything'.
It said: 'The levels you will yet from this test will tell you something, but they will not tell you everything. There are many ways of being smart.
'You are smart! So while you are preparing for the test and in the midst of it all, remember that there is no way to 'test' all of the amazing and awesome things that make you, YOU!'
It ends with an Aristotle quote: 'Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.' 

Read original article here.

Thursday, May 07, 2015

Agenda for Board of Education Meeting, 5/12/15

The Board of Education’s next monthly meeting is Tuesday, May 12, at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building on Radio Station Road in La Plata. The public portion of the meeting begins at 1 p.m. and student and staff recognition starts at 4:30 p.m. The meeting is televised live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12 and is rebroadcast throughout the week. Board meetings are also streamed live on the school system website at www.ccboe.com. Select CCPS TV and then choose the Live Broadcast tab. The following is a tentative meeting agenda.

Executive session – 12 p.m.

 
Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, Thomas Stone High School JROTC
 
Superintendent’s update - Report
 
Correspondence/Board Member updates

Education Association of Charles County update - Unavailable at this time

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees update - Unavailable at this time

Student Board Member update - Unavailable at this time

Matthew Henson Middle School’s anti-bullying initiative - Presentation

Principal evaluations
Communications update - Presentation

Solar field projects - Oral report

Educational facilities master plan - Unavailable at this time

Teacher evaluations and curriculum repository - Report

Credit recovery at Thomas Stone High School - Presentation

2016-17 calendar - Report

Legislative update - Unavailable at this time

Unfinished business
 
New business

Future agenda items

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.
  • Resolution: Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership Award – Thadine Wright, principal, J.C. Parks Elementary School
  • Students
  • Staff
  • Recognition of 2014-15 student liaisons
Public Forum – 6 p.m.
 
Action items
Adjournment