The Board of Regents met today and yesterday and tackled a number of issues including roles for SED and the Regents in new education policies included in the enacted state budget. This was the first meeting for Regents Johnson, Collins and Ouderkirk and the second meeting for Regent Chin, who all showed signs of extensive education backgrounds and interest in getting Regents policies right.
Of concern to many on the Board, including the Chancellor, was the fast timeline relating to promulgating regulations for a new teacher evaluation system. The Regents must promulgate regs by June 30 and school districts must renegotiate evaluation plans and submit to SED for approval by November 15, which Ken Wagner says will mean getting plans to SED in September. Hold on to your hats!
Here are some great presentations that were shared on the enacted budget, the reform measures and on new data connecting teacher effectiveness to student performance.
http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2015Meetings/April/StateBudget.pdf
http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2015Meetings/April/BudgetPolicy.pdf
http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2015Meetings/April/Equity.pdf