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Taking Charge of Our Professions

ED 39November 14, 2009

Maria Neira, Vice President

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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

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What are the Forces Driving the Education Agenda?

• NYSUT is committed to closingthe educational gaps and taking charge ofour 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

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Why Are we Having This Discussion?

• NYSUT has committed to ensuringwe 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.

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USDE Agenda

• The USDE Agenda

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

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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

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New York State LegislatureProposed 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

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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

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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”.

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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 2020.

• Funding: – $12 billion over 10 ten years

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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• 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

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Where Are We

– Greater Focus on Community Colleges– Additional funding attached to new

priorities – Challenge of developing measures of

accountability