MIDDLETOWN
STANDARD VOLUME 1 / NO. 5 January 2003
BUILDING A LEARNING COMMUNITY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Board of Regents Creates New High School Regulations
After holding several High School Summits since 2000 that provided input from a broad array of stakeholders, the state Board of Regents passed new High School Regulations on January 9th. The new regulations require districts to address reading levels of high school students, graduation requirements and personalized learning environments. Many of these regulations apply also to the middle schools, and some include elementary schools.
Districts will be required to report the reading levels of all its students who fail to attain proficiency on state assessments annually to the Department of Education, describe mechanisms in place to improve literacy for students below grade level in reading, and provide literacy instruction and support to students who are assessed as having reading levels below grade level. In addition, graduation requirements in each district must include a demonstration of proficiency by all students entering ninth grade in September 2004. The demonstration must include multiple measures of performance in a common academic core curriculum that includes the arts, and be demonstrated through at least two of the following: departmental end of course exams, a Certificate of Initial Mastery, portfolios, extended “capstone” projects, public exhibitions, and the use of technological tools.
By May 2004, school improvement plans and district strategic plans must describe how high schools will incorporate applied learning for all students through classroom, work-related and/or community service experiences. The plans will also need to identify how the school will provide more personalized learning environments, and documentation that middle and high school staff participate in 15 hours of ongoing professional development annually, focused on the priority areas of literacy, graduation by proficiency, and personalization. By September 2005, School Improvement plans must also describe the means for providing at least weekly common planning time for high school teachers, organized around students, especially those with the highest need.