State Board of Education Meetings
April 23-25, 2019

Committee on School and Division Accountability
The Committee on School and Division Accountability received an update on the implementation of a vertical scale to replace progress tables as a measure of growth under the Standards of Accreditation.  Vertical scale scores for 2018-2019 will serve as the first data point in measuring growth in mathematics for 2019-2020 and beyond, with progress tables no longer used in mathematics after 2018-2019.  For reading, progress tables will be used to measure growth for reading through 2019-2020 with a vertical scale implemented in 2019-2020 to 2020-2021 and beyond (and concurrent phase out of progress tables)

The Committee discussed proposed amendments to Virginia’s federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan, including:
•    Adding a multiple races student group to the ESSA plan, which includes adding targets for reading, mathematics, graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism
•    Using current year cohort data to calculate the Federal Graduation Indicator (due to availability of more current data)
•    Revising chronic absenteeism targets using the chronic absenteeism rate of the school at the 20th percentile of enrollment as the baseline and the 2017-2018 school year as the baseline year
•    Submission of new mathematics targets for review and approval at the July Board meeting (based on spring 2019 mathematics SOL tests).

The Committee also received an overview of minimum group size rules for state accreditation as well as a presentation on the current state of Virginia’s SOL assessment program.   

Presentation materials for all the Committee’s discussions are available under the April 23 tab at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/committees_standing/accountability/index.shtml

Board Work Session
The Board received a presentation on the state of English learners in Virginia as well as an initial draft of recommended changes to the Standards of Quality.  In addition, the Board invited superintendents, including Dr. Brabrand, to participate in an SOQ Roundtable discussion.  

The Board’s initial draft SOQ recommendations include:
•    Requiring equitable distribution of high-quality teachers with targeted compensation adjustments to help attract high-quality teachers to challenged schools
•    Creating “teacher leader” positions with mentoring and professional development responsibilities
•    Requiring the provision of teacher mentors to new teachers and expanding standards for mentorship programs
•    Differentiating English learner teacher staffing to reflect student proficiency levels
•    Creating a “specialized student support position” staffing standard; which would incorporate school psychologists, school social worker, and school nurses under a single staffing ratio
•    Enhancing VDOE data collections regarding school staffing to provide better information about staffing practices in local school divisions

The draft proposal would also reaffirm the Board’s 2016 recommendations for:
•    One full time counselor for every 250 students
•    One full time principal in every school
•    One full time assistant principal for every 400 students
•    Eliminating the “support position cap”
•    Eliminating temporary flexibility language (dating to the 2009 recession) waiving certain staffing requirements

Beyond their draft document, the Board briefly discussed the possibility of adding the current K3 Class Size Initiative and the At-Risk Add-On directly to the SOQ.

Additional details on the Roundtable discussion can be found in the Brabrand Briefing dated April 26, 2019 available at: https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BBPKFX51A724/$file/April%2026%2C%202019%20-%20Brabrand%20Briefing.pdf

Presentation materials for both the Board’s discussion of English Learners in the Commonwealth and their draft SOQ proposals can be found under the April 24 Board Work Session listing at: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/meetings/index.shtml

Board Business Meeting

Revisions to the Regulations Governing the Collection and Reporting of Truancy (8VAC20-730) (Fast-Track)
The Board adopted changes to the Regulations Governing the Collection and Reporting of Truancy (8 VAC20-730) to align with changed adopted by the Virginia General Assembly in 2018.  The amendments adopted that year § 22.1-258 offered changes to the timeline and process for intervening with students and families for continued and repeated student non-attendance. 

Amendments to 8 VAC20-730 align with § 22.1-258 of the Code of Virginia. Additionally, the amendments offered the opportunity for the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to incorporate feedback from school division personnel involved in truancy intervention and attendance data collection. This feedback was incorporated into the amendments to 8 VAC20-730 and are reflective in the substantive changes made to the chapter that are not in direct response to § 22.1-258 of the Code of Virginia. 

Substantive changes made to the regulations include expanding the number of days a parent has to provide an excuse for an absence from three days to five days. This will provide school division personnel time to work with students and families to address excused versus unexcused absences. 

Additionally, in response to feedback from data specialists from around the Commonwealth, the amendments remove the specific data collection requirements and reflect that data will be collected based on § 22.1-258 of the Code of Virginia. The change to data collection requirements reflect a need for the agency to be responsive to changes in § 22.1-258 of the Code of Virginia. The current regulations guiding data collection could not be updated efficiently when the 2018 General Assembly updated § 22.1-258 of the Code of Virginia which resulted in a delay in data collection methods for the 2018-2019 school year. This update will allow the Virginia Department of Education to adjust data collection efforts in a timely manner for school divisions. In addition, through provisions in 8 VAC20-730 the Virginia Department of Education will ask that school divisions report two categories of unexcused absences that are indicated in the definition of “unexcused absence” in 8 VAC20-730-10. 

Proposal to Include Multiple Races Student Group in State Accreditation
The Board adopted changes to state accreditation standards to allow for the incorporation of a Multiple Races student group in accountability calculations. Virginia Department of Education guidelines indicate that any student groups comprising five percent or more of the annual student enrollment should be considered in accountability models. In the 2018-2019 school year, students identifying as two or more races (non-Hispanic) comprised 5.7 percent of all students enrolled. Students identifying as two or more races are currently only counted in the “All Students” student group for state accreditation. Reflecting the growth in this subgroup designation, the Department recommended adding a “Multiple Races” student group to state accreditation beginning in the 2020-2021 school year to include students who identify as two or more races, affecting indicators of academic achievement gaps in English and academic achievement gaps in mathematics.  

Since first review in March 2019, the timeline for implementation of the Multiple Races student group in state accreditation is extended until the 2020-2021 school year and will be based on assessments administered during the 2019-2020 school year.

Corrective Action Plan Required by the Division-level Review for Greensville County Public Schools 
The Board waived first review and approved the proposed corrective action plan required by the state’s Division-level Review and Memorandum of Understanding for Greensville County Public Schools.

Request for Approval of an Innovative Program Opening Prior to Labor Day (Year-Round Schools) for Chesterfield County Public Schools Falling Creek Elementary School
The Board waived first review and approved an Innovative Program waiver request from Chesterfield County Public Schools on behalf of Falling Creek Elementary School allowing that school to operate on a year-round calendar.

Recommendations Concerning Literary Fund Applications Approved for Release of Funds or Placement on a Waiting List
The Board waived first review and approved the placement of six Literacy Fund loan requests by Southampton County on the Literary Fund First Priority Waiting List, as well as approved a revised Literary Fund Approved Application List reflecting the movement of these applications from that list to the First Priority Waiting List.  The Board had already approved the projects to be added to the Literary Fund Approved Application List at their March meeting.

First Review of Proposed Regulations Governing the Designation of School Divisions of Innovation (Final Stage)
The Board waived first review and approved regulations establishing the procedure and criteria for the designation of School Divisions of Innovation (SDI) and which provide that the Superintendent of Public Instruction establish a format and timelines for local school boards to submit plans of innovation. 

The 2017 Virginia General Assembly approved House Bill 1981 (Greason), directing the Board to develop regulations for the designation of School Divisions of Innovation (SDI). To be eligible for designation, a local school board would submit a plan of innovation according to Board criteria as presented in these regulations. The legislation defines “innovation” as a new or creative alternative to existing instructional or innovative practices or school structures that evidence-based practice suggests will be effective in improving student learning and educational performance.  

The legislation requires the Board to establish expectations for plans of innovation, including goals and performance targets, which could include reducing achievement and opportunity gaps, implementing high standards for student performance and balanced assessments, increasing learning opportunities through integrated coursework, and providing additional learning choices such as personalized learning opportunities and experiences through community service projects, and work-based learning. The plan of innovation could also include requests for exemptions from selected regulations, allowing school divisions to implement alternative policies to address local needs. The Board would also be required to establish a procedure for the ongoing evaluation of a SDI.  

The adopted regulations prohibit any exemptions to regulations that are mandated by state or federal law or are designed to promote health or safety, special education regulations, and certain provisions in the Standards of Accreditation.  The regulations also include provisions to evaluate the performance of a SDI, including revocation in the event that performance expectations are not met.

Amendments to the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia under the Fast-Track provisions of the Administrative Process Act to finalize Emergency Regulations related to Locally-Awarded Verified Credits
The Board waived first review and approved regulations to extend the availability of a locally-awarded verified credit to English and mathematics for students who entered the ninth grade prior to the 2018-2019 school year.

Comprehensive revisions to the Regulations Establishing Standards for the Accreditation of Public Schools in Virginia (Standards of Accreditation, or SOA), became effective for the 2018-2019 academic year.  One component of these revisions changed the availability of locally-awarded verified credits, which provide students the opportunity to receive a verified credit in a course that they have passed, but failed the related end-of-course Standards of Learning test twice within a narrow margin.  To receive a locally-awarded verified credit, the student must take the test twice, score between 375 and 399 on one of the attempts, and demonstrate achievement and mastery in the academic content through a local appeal process.

After the comprehensive revisions to the SOA were approved through the Administrative Process Act, it became apparent that the revisions would have established inequitable opportunities to earn locally-awarded verified credits for students that will be attending high school at the same time.  The revised regulations would have provided that students that entered the ninth grade prior to the 2018-2019 school year that struggled to pass either the English or mathematics end-of-course test could not earn locally-awarded verified credits in English or mathematics, while students entering the ninth grade beginning in the 2018-2019 school year would have access to locally-awarded verified credits in those subjects.

To provide parity among these high school cohorts, and to help current students earn their diplomas for graduation in the spring of 2018, the Board adopted emergency regulations to extend the availability of a locally-awarded verified credit to English and mathematics for students who entered the ninth grade prior to the 2018-2019 school year.  In addition, the Board’s guidance document governing the award of locally-awarded verified credit was updated to extend the use of locally-awarded verified credits in English and mathematics for these students.

Under the Administrative Process Act, the emergency regulations that were approved by the Board became effective on May 9, 2019, and will expire on November 8, 2019.  To ensure that the Board’s regulations continue to permit all students to access locally-awarded verified credits in English and mathematics, these permanent regulations would replace the emergency regulations, using the fast-track provisions of the Administrative Process Act.  

Proposed 2018 Science Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework
The Board received for first review proposed 2018 Science Standards of Learning Curriculum Frameworks, which were developed to support teachers and administrators in the instruction of the Science Standards of Learning.  

The Board of Education approved the 2018 Science Standards of Learning on October 25, 2018.  The current standards may be viewed online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/index.shtml. 

The 2018 Science Curriculum Frameworks document was constructed with the assistance of teachers and science leaders across the Commonwealth and outlines the expectations of students as they demonstrate mastery of the science content and the skills outlined in the Science and Engineering Practices.  The Science Curriculum Framework is not intended to encompass the entire curriculum for a given grade level or course.  School divisions are encouraged to incorporate the Curriculum Framework into a broader, locally-designed curriculum.  The Curriculum Framework delineates in greater specificity the minimum content that all teachers should teach and all students should learn. 

In support of Profile of a Virginia Graduate, the proposed revisions to the Curriculum Framework strengthen support for teachers and educational leaders through improvements to the Curriculum Framework, strengthen pathways within K-12 science education through a focus on improving the vertical progression of science content, and will better prepare students for college and careers through a greater emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving.

The initial 2018 Science Standard of Learning Curriculum Framework construction has changed based on feedback from K-12 science educators.  These changes provide teachers further support in the instruction of science through integrating Science and Engineering Practices explicitly into the content, the tie-in of science concepts into big ideas in science that are reflected vertically through the Standards, and providing vertical alignment of concepts for each Standard, thus allowing teachers an easier view of content progression.  The proposed 2018 Science Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework includes the following components: 

•    Introductory statements 
•    K-6 Yearly Themes
•    Standards of Learning for the grade level or course
•    Central Idea—describes big idea in science that supports the standard.
•    Vertical Alignment—central ideas are vertically aligned and references are made to content from prior year of instruction and next steps in instruction.
•    Enduring Understandings— information that supports science content knowledge
•    Essential Knowledge and Practices—information that provides expectations for student learning.

The full proposed Curriculum Framework document is available at: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/meetings/2019/04-apr/item-j-attachment.docx

Recommended Cut Scores for Substitute Tests for Verified Credit in Mathematics
The Board waived first review and adopted cut score revisions for the following substitute tests for verified credit in mathematics:

Algebra I
•    ACT: Mathematics Subtest: 16 for pass/proficient and 25 for pass/advanced
•    CLEP College Algebra: 28 for pass/proficient and 38 for pass/advanced
•    SAT Math Test (Version of the test administered beginning March 2016): 530 for pass/advanced
•    SAT II Math IIC or SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2: 540 for pass/proficient 

Algebra II
•    SAT II Math IIC or SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2: 580 for pass/proficient

Geometry
•    ACT: Mathematics Subtest: 19 for pass/proficient and 26 for pass/advanced

Waiving first review and approving the cut scores for the substitute tests for verified credit in mathematics at this meeting allows for their implementation with tests administered in the 2018-2019 test administration.

First Review of Revisions to the List of 2019-2020 Board of Education Approved Industry Certifications, Occupational Competency Assessments, and Professional Licenses
The Board waived first review and approved 27 new industry certification examinations, occupational competency assessments, and professional licenses to meet the Board of Education’s requirements for (1) graduation effective for the students who entered ninth grade prior to the 2018-2019 school year, (2) requirements for graduation effective with the students who enter the ninth grade in the 2018-2019 school year, and (3) requirements for the Career and Technical Education, Advanced Mathematics and Technology, and STEM Seals.  In addition, the Board approved the removal of six credentials which are no longer offered by the providers.

The complete list of additions and removals is available in the Board’s posted April agenda Item L. at: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/meetings/2019/04-apr/item-l.docx

Reports
The Board received a report on the Changing Timeline and Expansion of the Review of the Health Education Standards of Learning

The report is available via the Board’s posted April agenda Item M, available at: 
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/meetings/2019/04-apr/agenda.shtml