South Orange-Maplewood District

Board of Education Equity and Excellence Committee

Meeting Notes

October 13, 2011, 4:30 p.m.

Board Members present: Andrea Wren-Hardin (chair), Lynne Crawford

Board Members called in for part of meeting: Mark GleasonBillGaudelli

Administration present: Brian G. Osborne (superintendent), Rosetta Wilson (assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction)

  1. Review 6th and 7th Grade Level Up Reorganization

Purpose: To review prior to full Board presentation.

Discussion:

  • Administration previewed the analysis to be presented to the full Board at the October BOE meeting. The presentation of analyses will be in three sections:
  • Quantitative analysis. Test scores, final exams, final grades, and level placement recommendations. Comparisons with prior year results.
  • Work sample and curriculum analysis. Comparisons of level of difficulty and rigor evident in samples of student work taken from students in prior year and in Level UP year.
  • Educator experience. Comments from middle school principal and 7th grade teachers.
  • The committee discussed the test effect of the seventh grade Language Arts test. The 7th grade ELA scores declined across the state and in the DFG. The declines in SOMSD were proportional with those declines, suggesting that the declines were the result of a test effect.
  • In 2011, the gap between SOMSD and the DFG in advanced proficient was smaller than in any prior year.
  • The district’s grade 7 final exam was made more rigorous in the 10-11 school year, with changes in the test to increase the level of difficulty and add vocabulary, poetry writing, and comprehension.
  • A review of student work done by content supervisors analyzed common assessments, lab reports, document based questions, and essays. The analysis compared these artifacts from 2009-2010 level 4 classes with the 2010-2011 Level UP classes. The supervisors found that the student work produced was comparable in the level of rigor, quality of task, and student outcomes. They also analyzed lesson planning and found evidence of consistency in the level of rigor from 09-10 to 10-11 and increased differentiation.
  1. Develop RI for Pathway to College Readiness according to National

Clearinghouse Data.

Purpose: Presentation to the full Board in November.

Discussion:

  • The committee discussed the purpose of the Pathway to College Readiness analysis. The standard for excellence is preparation to have the choice to be successful in a four year college, with a increasingly large proportion of students ready to succeed in highly competitive colleges. The standard for equity is that at every milestone along the pathway to college there is no measurable disparity in performance in outcomes that are correlated to demographics.
  • The committee reviewed the prior analysis, done in November 2009. It was noted that the National Clearinghouse data that will be used for the November 2011 analysis
  1. Finalize draft of Committee Charge

Purpose: To present Committee Charge to the full BOE for approval at the October BOE meeting.

Discussion:

  • The committee reviewed the charge and prepared it for action by the full board at the October meeting.
  1. Discuss Recommendations for Academic Placement

Purpose: RI for full Board presentation in December.

Discussion:

  • The committee recommends that the recommendations for academic placement, to be proposed to the Board in December and scheduled to be acted on in March, be multi-year, so that changes for 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015 be included in the proposals.
  • The committee recommends that the plans explicitly focus on plans for students that would be
  1. Review Progress Toward Articulation of Differences in Levels per Course

Purpose: RI for full Board presentation in April

Discussion:

  • The committee reviewed and discussed the goal language for Goal 1, Obj C, Ind 2 (written documents that are publicly available and distributed that articulate 1) learning aims 2) content scope and sequence and 3) student performance expectations).
  • Administration shared 1) the level placement criteria policy and regulation, and 2) the CHS course guide. For next month’s committee meeting, committee members will review these publically available documents and prepare feedback on what information is available.
  1. Review changes in the Elementary Math Program that was presented to the

full Board at the September BOE meeting.

Purpose: Clarification of program specifics.

  • The committee reviewed background materials regarding the selection and adoption process of Math in Focus.
  • The committee discussed the time allocations to subject areas in the elementary schools.
  • Administration shared plans with the committee for parent engagement around the program changes.

7. Discuss Board Policy 2330 Homework as referred by the Policy Committee

Purpose: To determine if the policy needs revision and refer to Policy committee with suggested modifications.

Discussion:

  • The committee reviewed the existing policy and discussed several aspects: time allocations, religious observances, expectations around student absences due to illness, requirements for the grading and returning of graded work.
  • Administration will prepare modifications to the existing policy for the committee members to review for the November meeting.

Adjourned 6:58 p.m.

Next meeting: TBD, prior to the November BOE meeting.