Board Meeting Dates

I.

Call to Order

A.

Adoption of the Policy and Instruction Committee Agenda and Approval of the Minutes of February 12, 2014, March 12, 2014, and April 8, 2014, Policy and Instruction Committee Meeting (Discussion/Action)

II.

Consideration for Approval of the 2014-15 Fine Arts Education Act (FAEA) Application for Funding (Discussion/Action)
Presenter: Luis Delgado - Director of Fine Arts

III.

Request from the Office of the Secretary of State to Comply Voluntarily with the School District Campaign Reporting Act of 2013  (Discussion)
Presenters: Carrie Robin Menapace - APS Policy Analyst and Art Melendres - Modrall-Sperling.

IV.

Records Retention and Disposition Schedule (Discussion)
Presenter: Carrie Robin Menapace - APS Policy Analyst

V.

Presentation on P.E. Credit for ROTC/Band (Discussion)
Presenter: Shelly Green - Chief Academic Officer

VI.

Update on Teacher and Principal Evaluation (Discussion)
Presenters: Shelly Green - Chief Academic Officer, Eddie Soto - Associate Superintendent for Middle and High Schools, 
Raquel Reedy - Associate Superintendent for Elementary Schools.

VII.

Impact of Graduated Considerations on Teacher and Administrator Evaluations. (Discussion)
Presenter: Carla Greene - Director of Special Projects

VIII.

Future items (Discussion)

IX.

Announcement of the Next Policy and Instruction Committee Meeting - The next meeting will be held Wednesday, June 11, 2014, at 5:00 p.m., in the Delayo Martin Community Room.

X.

Adjournment

I.

Call to Order – The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m.

Present: Dr. David Peercy, Dr. Analee Maestas, Dr. Don Duran, Kathy Korte, Martin Esquivel, Lorenzo Garcia (via phone)

Absent: Steven Michael Quezada

A.

Adoption of the Policy and Instruction Committee Agenda and Approval of the Minutes of February 12, 2014, March 12, 2014, and April 8, 2014, Policy and Instruction Committee Meeting (Discussion/Action)

Ms. Korte motioned to approve the minutes and agenda.  Dr. Duran seconded the motion.  Board members unanimously voted to adopt the May 6, 2014, agenda and approve the February 12, 2014, March 12, 2014, and April 8, 2014, Policy and Instruction Committee meeting minutes.

II.

Consideration for Approval of the 2014-15 Fine Arts Education Act (FAEA) Application for Funding (Discussion/Action)
Presenter: Luis Delgado - Director of Fine Arts

Mr. Delgado presented the application for funding for the elementary fine arts programs as required by the Fine Arts Education Act (FAEA).  The application, when approved, will be submitted to the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) for review, and Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) will be notified of funding approval in July 2014.  Mr. Delgado reviewed the application points with the committee, including goals and budget projections for the next school year.

Mr. Esquivel motioned to approve the application.  Dr. Duran seconded the motion.  Board members unanimously voted to approve the 2014-15 Fine Arts Education Act (FAEA) application for funding.

III.

Request from the Office of the Secretary of State to Comply Voluntarily with the School District Campaign Reporting Act of 2013 (Discussion)
Presenters: Carrie Robin Menapace - APS Policy Analyst and Art Melendres – Modrall-Sperling.

Ms. Menapace presented a letter that has been drafted by Modrall Sperling to the Honorable Dianna Duran, Secretary of State, New Mexico.  The letter outlines that the APS Board of Education members had received the memorandum dated April 14, 2014, and had been advised that they are only required to file a campaign finance report if they meet the definition of “candidate” during an election cycle as defined in § 1-22 A-2 NMSA 1978.

Ms. Menapace also reviewed the School District Campaign Act of 2013:

1. If board members have raised $500 or more or authorized a committee to raise $500 or more for an election campaign they also would need to file a campaign report.
2. A board member who will be up for election for 2014 will need to file a report for the 2014 election.
3. Page 1, Sub item B – is the definition of “candidate” which describes when a report is necessary.
4. Page 3, lists all of the required reports and how they should be filed.
5. Page 4, explains if a board member is up for election in the 2014 cycle, the report is due the second Monday in April.

Ms. Menapace also stated that future meetings will be scheduled to review the School District Campaign Reporting Act of 2013 with board members.

Dr. Duran suggested that a copy of the School District Campaign Reporting Act of 2013 should be posted on the Board of Education website so that potential candidates can be aware of what the rules are.  Ms. Menapace agreed that would be beneficial and would ensure the document was posted.

IV.

Records Retention and Disposition Schedule (Discussion)
Presenter: Carrie Robin Menapace - APS Policy Analyst

Ms. Menapace reviewed some highlights from the procedural directive for retention and disposition of records list.

1. Employee emails are to be retained for only one year.
2. Board of Education member emails will be archived and retained for five years.  If records are requested, even deleted emails will be accessible for up to five years.
3. The Finance Department is required to keep official records for two years.

Dr. Duran commented that teacher lesson plans need to be retained for two years, and it would be beneficial to remind principals and staff about these record retention procedures.

V.

Presentation on Physical Education (P.E.) Credit for ROTC/Band (Discussion)
Presenter: Shelly Green - Chief Academic Officer

Three members of staff from Albuquerque Public Schools High Schools requested to speak to the committee; Dr. Peercy allowed two minutes each to present their concerns.

• Brad Dubbs, band director at Eldorado High School, thanked the committee for the opportunity to speak.  He commented that marching band was an activity with a lot of physical conditioning.  The class also discusses healthy eating and the importance of getting enough rest.  Marching band is not a substitute for physical education (P.E.) but for students who participate, it is extremely important.
• Nathan Matherne, director of bands and orchestra at Cibola High School, commented that marching band provides a unique opportunity for a lot of students.
• John Converse, director of bands at La Cueva High School, commented that marching band includes instruction on body mechanics, self and peer evaluation skills, concepts of ballet, motor skills, mass momentum, and the effects of drug use.  Marching band is an alternative exercise and provides social interaction for students.

Ms. Green presented on the physical education class alternatives and referred to the SB307 School District P.E. and Graduation Requirement bill that was passed this year, which states: “One unit in physical education, as determined by each school district, which may include a physical education program that meets state content and performance standards or participation in marching band, junior reserve officers’ training corps (JROTC) or any other co-curricular physical activity.”

Ms. Green reviewed the content standards for the P.E. program and commented that it would be difficult for other courses to address the standards that are important to students within the curriculum.  Many standards cross over into other subjects but the biggest difference is the training that P.E. teachers have received in fitness and wellness.  In order for students to receive the curriculum set forth in the P.E. standards there would need to be significant changes in alternative classes. Dr. Peercy responded that the characteristics of what a PE teacher is trained and educated to do is very different from what a band director is trained to do.  P.E. teachers study chemistry, biology, body mechanics, nutrition, allied health, adaptive motor skills, biometrics and anatomy.  P.E. is about much more than physical exercise. Ms. Green asked the board if the decision rests with the Board of Education or Albuquerque Public Schools administration.  Policy only states that the district has to comply with state regulations for graduation. Dr. Duran commented that giving choices would allow students a different way of building graduation requirements.  Charter schools have waivers for dance, and there should be options for APS students as well. Mr. Esquivel responded that it was an administrative decision rather than a board decision, but asked if there would be an impact on P.E. teachers if credit was offered for alternative classes.

Ms. Green commented that yes, ultimately it does have an impact and the district could lose sections of P.E. teachers. Ms. Korte appreciates the music and band instructors but supports P.E. classes for the PE credit. Dr. Maestas commented that P.E. does make a huge difference to students; however, some students do not like P.E. and those same students enjoy JROTC and marching band.  Dr. Maestas suggested giving students the option to participate in both. Mr. Brooks commented that it was disappointing that there was not a P.E. contingency in attendance to comment.  He also stated that health is a large part of the P.E. curriculum.  He further stated that this was an administrative decision to make.

Dr. Peercy summarized that it is an APS administrative decision.

VI.

Update on Teacher and Principal Evaluation (Discussion)
Presenter: Shelly Green - Chief Academic Officer

Ms. Green gave an update on the current situation with teacher and principal evaluations.

• On April 17, 2014, a memo from Peter Goldschmidt a statistician with New Mexico Public Education Department stated that value added scores (VAS) would not be released until May 15, 2014.  Ms. Green stated that this would leave only one week for principals to meet with all of their teachers and conduct a conference with them.
• Several days later the Teachscape newsletter had a section on what needed to be done to complete the annual evaluation process.  The newsletter stated that the summative recommendations form would be an option but was not available until May 9, 2014, which put an additional strain on principals and teachers to complete these items by the end of the school year, May 22, 2014.
• Teachscape also suggested in their NMTEACH evaluation process that printing the signed evaluation summary and keeping it on file was optional.  This is not considered an option for the Human Resources Department, because a signed evaluation form is required to be kept on file each year.
• To provide staff with a form that they could sign off on, an alternative form was created.  This form can be used for observations, evaluations and professional development plans, and printed for the employee’s file.

Mr. Eduardo Soto, associate superintendent for secondary schools, commented that the Highly Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation, (HOUUSE) system had been used since 2008, and it includes a self-assessment form, which is a reflection on the goals that the principals have met.  As supervisors of principals, the associate superintendents complete a section regarding use of resources, communication and how truancy and college- going culture is addressed.  There is also a summary portion which deals with how the principals are performing with the educational process.

Ms. Raquel Reedy, associate superintendent for elementary schools, commented that the associate superintendents are meeting with principals to do evaluations and are dealing with the same situations that principals are dealing with for evaluating their teachers.  The last observation component is reliability and rigor of observations; this component hinges on the VAS scores which will not be released until May 15, 2014.  Principals are unable to move forward on evaluations; however, part of the principal evaluation refers to their ability to meet the deadline for completing teacher evaluations.  A statement will be attached by APS to principal evaluations that states there are specific components that were not completed this year due to information not being readily available. Dr. Peercy asked if VAS scores will be looked at during the summer to see how they fit into the evaluation system.  Ms. Reedy said the associates hoped to look at this before the beginning of the next school year.  Mr. Brooks commented that APS was not the only school district with the evaluation problem; some districts do evaluations in March and also have decided to staple a signed form to a handwritten evaluation sheet to alleviate this problem.

VII.

Impact of Graduated Considerations on Teacher and Administrator Evaluations (Discussion)
Presenter: Carla Greene - Director of Special Projects

Ms. Greene presented that NMPED understood that not all teachers would be able to have fifty percent of their evaluation based on student achievement because this involves three years of data.  Very few of our sixth – 12^th grade teachers will have a full three years of VAS.

• The presentation showed tables and formulas for how the teacher and principal graduated considerations were calculated.

Dr. Peercy stated that it was evident that Teachscape and NMPED are not ready for the evaluation system.  Mr. Brooks asked Ms. Greene if this was the framework that APS had been told repeatedly would be available. Ms. Greene responded that the framework is fifty percent student achievement and there are options in the multiple measures section, the same as last year.

VIII.

Future items (Discussion)

There were no future items presented at this meeting.

IX.

Announcement of the Next Policy and Instruction Committee Meeting Dr. Peercy announced that the next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 11, 2014, 5:00 p.m., in the DeLayo Martin Community Room.

X.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 6:42 p.m.