Office of Teaching Initiatives

Date: March 12 & 13, 2008
Location: State Education Department, Seminar Room 5A&B, Albany, New York

Members Present

Debra Colley, co-chair
Eric Gidseg, co-chair
Sheila Appel
Allison Cugini
Desma DeGraw
Cheryl Freedman
Rosemary Harrigan

Gerald Mager
Nicholas Michelli
Susan Mittler
Eva Mroczka
Joseph Perez
Susan Phillips

Evie Rich
Patricia Roberts
Pamela Sandoval
Frank Scelsa
Gale Sookdeo
Sally Thompson

MEMBERS ABSENT

Richard Ahola
Erik Bitterbaum
Richard Feller
Catalina Fortino
Lloyd Jaeger
Tira Randall
Kathy Taylor
Stephen Uebbing

STAFF PRESENT

March 12, 2008

1. Call to Order

Day One of the meeting was called to order by the co-chairs at 3:38 p.m.

2. Legislative Education Visits

Team leaders Sheila Appel, Evie Rich, and Rosemary Harrigan reported on the visits conducted with Legislators and staff and Executive staff prior to the meeting.

3. SED Policy Update

Bob Bentley reported on the following:

• Regents will discuss in March various approaches to restructuring special education certification; consultation with the field is ongoing.
  
  
• Regents will review in March a preliminary draft regulation to implement the tenure statute.
  
  
• Regulatory language is now being drafted to implement the statute on autism; a summary of the major provisions was shared with the Board.

Board members offered comments and raised concerns.

4. Adjournment

The co-chairs adjourned Day One of the meeting at 5:39 p.m.

March 13, 2008

1. Call to Order

Day Two of the meeting was called to order by the co-chairs at 11:42 a.m.

2. Meeting Minutes

Motion:

That the minutes of the January 2008 meeting be approved.

(Moved by G. Mager, seconded by S. Appel, carried.)

3. Subcommittee Reports

Professional Practices Subcommittee: Rosemary Harrigan, chair, reported that the subcommittee met on March 13, prior to the full Board meeting. The subcommittee reviewed eight Part 83 cases and did agrnda planning for May.

The Higher Education Subcommittee did not meet.

4. Ad Hoc Work Groups

Ad hoc chairs reported on the group meetings held prior to the full Board meeting:

• Teacher Policy- Nick Michelli reported that the group has formulated guiding questions for its review of two main issues: a comparison of pathways to certification and a consideration of whether more flexibility in program registration processes is needed.
  
  
• Professional Development- Trish Roberts reported that the group established a timeline for completion of the Professional Development Standards, with presentation for Regents consideration anticipated during fall 2009.
  
  
• Mentoring- Eric Gidseg reported that the group has decided to use the Code of Ethics for Educators a s a beginning point discussion of teaching standards to guide the development of mentoring standards.

There was a discussion of scheduling writing days for each group.

5. SED Policy Update continued

 

• Discussion of various proposals to restructure special education certification was continued. It was decided that a conference call will be scheduled for interested members and staff to enable the members to develop a written statement for the Board’s consideration at the May meeting.
  
  
• Discussion of the preliminary draft regulation to implement the tenure statute was continued. Members suggested a revision to language.
  
  
• Discussion on development of the regulation being drafted to implement the statute on autism was continued.

6. Co-chair Meeting with
Vice Chancellor Tisch

Debbie Colley reported on her meeting with Vice Chancellor Tisch regarding the creation of additional channels to increase communication between the Standards Board and Board of Regents.

7. Adjournment

Motion to adjourn:

(Moved by C. Freedman, seconded by J. Perez, carried.)

The co-chairs adjourned Day Two of the meeting at 12:31 p.m.