At last week’s State Board of Education meeting, Board members approved a resolution (scroll down and click on HRS 1) establishing a whole school, whole community, whole child framework that emphasizes the relationship between student learning and health by putting the child at the center of a system designed to support both. By adopting the resolution, the board is encouraging local districts to follow the framework to better coordinate services with other agencies and groups that provide support and services to children and as a model to improve student learning and health.

Members also approved their 2017-19 Biennial Expansion Budget requests totaling $173 million, Title V Abstinence Grants, and a number of consent agenda items including Career and Technical Education Essential Standards and bonuses for the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Pilot Program, Industry Certifications and Credentials Teacher Bonuses, and Third Grade Teacher Reading Performance Pilot (see next item).

Among the Board’s discussion items were Healthy Active Children Policy revisions, North Carolina Math I Extended Content Standards, NCDPI’s Strategic Plan and Information Technology Plan for 2017-19, and the State of the Teaching Profession annual report.

The complete list of this month’s Board actions is available on the Board’s website. The Board’s November agenda, as well as supporting executive summaries, are available online by clicking on the SBE Meetings tab.

The General Assembly’s 2016 appropriation bill included three pilot programs to provide teachers in certain circumstances with financial bonuses based on student performance. At their meeting last week, State Board of Education members approved policy changes to implement the three pilot programs, outlined below.

• Teachers of Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate courses will receive bonuses of $50 per AP/IB exams taken by their students and receiving a grade of 3 or above (AP) or a grade of 4 or above (IB). Bonuses are set at a maximum of $2,000 per teacher per year. This first round is based on exams taken in the 2015-16 school year, and bonuses will be payable in January 2017 for the first time. A total of $4.3 million was appropriated for this purpose.

• Career technical education teachers will receive bonuses ranging from $25 to $50 per student earning an approved industry certification or credential as defined and valued by the Department of Commerce in concert with the State Board of Education. This bonus also is capped at $2,000 per teacher per year and will be payable in January 2017 for the first time based on 2015-16 credentials earned. A total of $600,000 was provided for this program.

• Third grade teachers in the top 25 percent of teachers in the state (based on the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS) student growth index score for third-grade reading from the previous year) will be eligible for bonuses. Of the $10 million provided for this purpose, $5 million is to be allocated equally among qualifying teachers and $5 million will be proportionally based on average daily membership for each local school district and then distributed equally among qualifying teachers in each school district. These also will be paid in January 2017 for the first time.

NCDPI K-12 Curriculum and Instruction staff want to thank all of the educators, higher education partners, business partners, parents and community members who have been actively involved in the process of reviewing and revising the NC Standard Course of Study in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. The following resources provide additional information on the progress for standards review and revision in ELA and math.

English Language Arts

ELA Timeline (K-12) - This site provides additional resources, an overview of the work that has been accomplished and next steps in the process for ELA standards.

In addition, staff invite you to join the NCDPI ELA Section’s webinar on Nov. 29 (3:30 - 4:30 p.m.) to learn more about the ELA standards review process. Staff will present a brief history of the ELA standards review process, provide an update about where they are in the process, share several proposed changes, and discuss next steps. Members of the Data Review Committee and writing teams will speak about their experiences. A time for questions and answers will be provided at the end of the webinar.

Mathematics

Mathematics Timeline (K-8 and Fourth High School Math) - This document provides a draft timeline for review/revision of K-8 math standards and fourth high school math courses. Math educators, leaders and higher education partners across the state are doing wonderful work to support implementation of the newly adopted NC Math 1, 2 and 3 standards. The State Board of Education unanimously adopted these revised standards in June. More information on high school math resources can be accessed HERE.

The State Board of Education and the NC Department of Public Instruction are committed to working with stakeholders to ensure that students have standards of the highest quality that best prepare them for college and career opportunities.

Any questions regarding the ELA standards revision process should be directed to NCDPI K-12 ELA Section Chief Julie Joslin (919.807.3935). Questions regarding the mathematics standards revision process should be directed to NCDPI K-12 Mathematics Section Chief Jennifer Curtis (919.807.3838).

NCDPI’s 2016 Report on Education Legislation is now complete and ready for you to review and share. Its 341 pages chronicles and summarizes all of the 2016 Session Laws (including relevant budget provisions) that relate to K-12 public education.

If you prefer printed copies, please visit the NCDPI Publications Sales website.

Gov. Pat McCrory has proclaimed November as Career Development Month, and Nov. 16 as Career Development Coordinator Day.

Career development coordinators work within Career and Technical Education (CTE) to help students explore their interests and strengthen their abilities and talents. Career development coordinators and CTE teachers assist students in understanding the 16 Career Clusters in the National Career Clusters Framework, which represent more than 79 career pathways to help students navigate their way to greater readiness for college, career and citizenship.

Thanks to career development coordinators, high school students can make informed decisions regarding their plans to further their education in a vocational program, community college or university, or to pursue immediate employment in the workforce or the military.

Please take a moment and recognize the important role these individuals play in the success of North Carolina public school students.

Each year, the North Carolina Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Center awards individuals and organizations whose extraordinary contributions to science, mathematics and technology education in North Carolina help advance education in North Carolina.

Awards are presented in eight different categories. Educator and student award recipients receive $1,000 and are honored during the Celebration of Science, Mathematics and Technology event in the spring.

Visit the North Carolina Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Center website for more information. The deadline to nominate is Dec 1.