1 Taking Charge of Our Professions ED 39 November 14, 2009 Maria Neira, Vice President

2 New Education Landscape Incoming--SED –New SED Commissioner – David Steiner –New Sr. Deputy Commissioner for P-12 – John King –Chancellor – Merryl Tisch Left--SED –P-16 Sr. Deputy Commissioner – Johanna Duncan- Poitier Incoming—SUNY –New SUNY Chancellor – Nancy Zimpher –New Deputy Chancellor for K-12 Pipeline Johanna Duncan-Poitier

3 What are the Forces Driving the Education Agenda? NYSUT is committed to closing the educational gaps and taking charge of our professions. Federal Level –Obama Administration –ARRA Funding –American Graduation Initiative State Level –Chapter 57 of the Laws of 2007 –New SED Leadership –New SUNY Leadership

4 Why Are we Having This Discussion? NYSUT has committed to ensuring we are partners at the table. The President, the Regents Chancellor and the SUNY Chancellor have provided us with the opportunity to be part of the solution. For the past eight years, unions have been left out of the discussion at the federal level. We must take charge of our professions. If we don’t, we will have it done to us. In order to change the narrative, we need to propose alternatives and not just say no.

5 USDE Agenda The USDE Agenda –Teacher Effectiveness –Common Standards and Assessments –Target 5,000 Lowest Performing Schools –Data Systems –American Graduation Initiative

6 New York State Education Agenda Chapter 57 of the Laws of 2007 –P-16 Student Database –Value Added –Low-Performing Schools –Review of Learning Standards –Tenure Determination –Teacher Preparation Program Accountability –Alternative Certification

7 New York State Legislature Proposed Hoyt/Klein Legislation Legislation introduced to make NYS more competitive in RTTT –Charter Schools –Tenure/Tenure Determination –K-12 Accountability –Low Performing Schools –Higher Education Accountability SUNY Community Colleges SUNY CUNY not included in Legislation

8 Proposed Hoyt/Klein Legislation Community College Accountability –Regents and College Trustees to develop an accountability plan –Plan will address Graduation rates Minority student enrollment and retention Student performance Job Placement rates Student progression Career accountability Institutional assessment efforts based on accreditation requirements –Commissioner given authority over Community College Boards May withhold aid payments

9 President Obama’s Community College Proposal The American Graduation Initiative –President Barack Obama “Its time to reform our community colleges so that they may provide Americans of all ages a chance to learn the skills and knowledge necessary to compete for the jobs of the future”.

10 The American Graduation Initiative Goal: –By 2020 America will have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. President Obama is calling for an additional 5 million community college graduates by Funding: –$12 billion over 10 ten years

11 The American Graduation Initiative Community College Challenge Fund –grants to enable community colleges/states to expand proven reforms. –grants will demonstrate improved educational/employment outcomes. Fund Innovative Strategies to Promote College Completion –Finance innovation, evaluation, and expansion of efforts to increase college graduation rates and close the achievement gap.

12 The American Graduation Initiative Modernize College Facilities –$2.5 billion to stimulate $10 billion in community college facilities Create New Online Skills Laboratory –New course developed by experts in content knowledge, pedagogy, and technology and made available for modification by Community Colleges

13 The American Graduation Initiative Randi Weingarten – President AFT –We support the direct investment in community colleges, both in terms of investing in programs that improve student success and providing funding to improve infrastructure. Dennis VanRoekel – President NEA –This initiative should be seen as a vital link in a lifelong chain, educating students from preK to college and beyond.

14 The American Graduation Initiative Congressional Action –The American Graduation is contained in HR 3221 which passed the House of Representatives in September and is now in the Senate.

15 Race to the Top vs. American Graduation Initiative Shared Goals –Improve Student Performance –Close Achievement Gap –Increase Graduation Rates –Use Federal Grants to Leverage Big Change –Collect More Data

16 RTTT Postsecondary Priorities –Expand statewide Data Systems –P-20 Coordination and vertical alignment AGI Priorities –States must have commitment to longitudinal data system including community colleges –Jobs for Students –Graduation rate breakdown by Age Disability Race Income Sex Ethnicity Race to the Top vs. American Graduation Initiative

17 Where Are We –Greater Focus on Community Colleges –Additional funding attached to new priorities –Challenge of developing measures of accountability