Governor Nathan Deal - Georgia’s 82nd Governor (2011-2019)

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Meeting 3 minutes - April 17, 2015

The following Commission Members were in attendance:

Matt Arthur, Greg Beadles, Brad Bryant, Mike Dudgeon, Kent Edwards, Terry England, Tina Fernandez, Mike Glanton, Barbara Hampton, Tyler Harper, Hannah Heck, Jack Hill, Kylie Holley, Amy Jacobs, Audrey King, Chuck Knapp, Chairman; Cynthia Kuhlman, Fran Millar, Nels Peterson, Hunter Pierson, Freddie Powell Simms, Noris Price, Will Schofield, Lindsey Tippins, Tony Townsend, Alvin Wilbanks, Pam Williams and Dick Yarbrough.

The following Commission Members were absent:

Madelyn Adams, Robert Avossa, Brooks Coleman, Tom Dickson, Bonnie Holliday and Elizabeth Rhodes.

The Meeting was called to order by Dr. Charles Knapp, Chairman.

Welcome by Dr. Charles Knapp

Dr. Knapp welcomed commission members and all guests. The Commission has been busy since the last meeting working with constituency groups. Dr. Knapp thanked the Commission members for all of their work done since the last meeting on March 6, 2015. The core of the work of the Education Reform Commission is the sub-committees. Dr. Knapp encouraged the Commission members to ask questions of the respective sub-committees; feel free to do so off-line, if needed. Dr. Knapp announced that at the end of today’s meeting there would be a public comment period. Eight persons signed up to give a public comment.

Approval of Minutes from March 6, 2015

The minutes from the March 6, 2015 Funding Formula Committee meeting were disseminated. A Motion was made to approve the Minutes as presented. It was Moved and unanimously approved.

Report from Sub-Committees

Funding Sub-Committee – Dr. Charles Knapp

The Funding Committee has met a number of times since the inception of the Commission. The Governor has asked for the report of the Committee by August 1st. The Governor’s charge was to develop a funding formula which has the following components: 1) provides local school districts with greater flexibility, 2) a formula that is simpler, more transparent and 3) allows the money to follow the child. The QBE formula is not transparent and it’s time to take another look. We need to develop a student-based formula. Costs do enter into discussion in terms of weighting certain student characteristics. We are trying to provide maximum flexibility to districts. There’s a distinction between flexibility and accountability. The Committee will drill into that discussion. It’s not our job to decide on the cost of education; leave that to the Governor and General Assembly. We started out with a model that a consultant built, but the Committee decided to take a step back from that model and reach a preliminary consensus on a model with three elements; a base amount, weighted student characteristics, and categorical grants. State policies/initiatives have to be taken into account. The Governor wants students to read on grade level in grade 3. Therefore, we have discussed putting a weight on K-3 education. The Committee will look at weights for poverty, disability, and look at categorical grants such as equalization. Today, we will present a framework for a student-based model, have a full and robust debate about what should be included in the specifics of that framework, and reach consensus on the structure of the framework.

Question: Are their intentions on equalization? (Mike Glanton) 

Answer:  The committee will discuss equalization.

Early Childhood Sub-Committee - Amy Jacobs

The Early Childhood Committee has met twice since the last meeting. The group is looking at Pre-K funding formula, lead teacher salary and benefits and class size. The group was divided into small groups and worked and talked through enhancements to the formula. Our meeting today will focus more on enhancement to the formula. At the next meeting you will have more details or recommendations.

Move on When Ready Sub-Committee - Matt Arthur

The Move on When Ready Committee met March 6, 2015. There are six people on committee. The group has been divided to work on specific projects.

  • Problems – Opportunities - Symptoms
    • Forty-two percent of children born into poverty will remain there
    • Sixty-three percent of Georgians have less than a postsecondary education
    • One-half of all students entering the 9th grade will fail to earn an industry or postsecondary credentials by age 25
    • At current rates, the U.S. will fall 5 million workers short of industry demand by 2020
    • In Georgia, data suggest the years of 18-25 are “lost years”
    • Most  students in postsecondary schools are 25-31
    • The bridge from high school to postsecondary attainment and career opportunities is broken
  • Solutions – Pathways – Actions
    • Action – Define work readiness in policy
    • Action – Define college readiness in policy
    • Action – Utilize the power of SB2 and SB132
      • Ensure that every high school student enrolls in a least one college credit
      • Build bridges between high school and postsecondary with relevant career pathways
      • Provide flexible accelerated learning options
      • Blur the lines between secondary and postsecondary education
      • Double percentages of certificates, credentials and degrees in 10 years
    • Action - Adopt strategies to restructure low performing high schools with relevant career pathways
    • Action - Use the senior year of high school for support and aid for struggling students
    • Action – Pilot programs between secondary schools and technical colleges
      • Target at risk 17 years olds with few credits
    • Action – Build Career Tech High schools
      • Project-based assignments
  • Acceleration:
    • Appropriate educational planning based upon matching students’ readiness and motivation to curricular level and complexity in order to efficiently maximize student learning.
    • Types of acceleration: Early admission to Kindergarten; Early admission to First Grade; Grade-Skipping; Continuous Progress; Self-Paced Instruction; Subject-Matter Acceleration/Partial Acceleration; Combined Classes; Curriculum Compacting; Telescoping Curriculum; Mentoring; Extracurricular Programs; Correspondence Courses; Early Graduation; Concurrent/Dual Enrollment; Advanced Placement; Credit by Examination; Acceleration in College; Early Entrance into Middle School, High School or College.
    • Acceleration has a positive effect. Georgia needs a policy about acceleration.
    • Expectations: A Move on When Ready environment not only allows for advancement for high achieving students, but also provides a support system for students that typically struggle.
    • Expectations: Changing the learning environment can assist in defining and measuring the level of mastery needed for progression.
    • Question: How do you address the balance of wanting to give districts maximum control versus flexibility? (Dr. Knapp)
    • Answer: Districts have to take control.
    • Answer: We have to communicate the successes in the various areas that have worked.
    • Answer: Quit relying on old ideas that do not work.
    • Answer: Flexibility and support are key.
    • Answer: Teach how to implement programs in schools; have to look at high school pilot programs.
    • Answer: The interface between the two committees, Move on When Ready and Teacher Recruitment and Retention.
    • Question: Is the state DOE set up so that they can implement statewide any recommendations made by this committee?
    • Answer: The DOE have the dual enrollment and clearly have the information. Some districts may be doing the programs, but may not be reporting it to the DOE. The DOE does not provide direct local support, but regional support through the RESAs.
    • Answer: Make education what’s best for the individual student, not the needs of the school.
    • Dr. Knapp challenged the commission and committee to think about how we move from making suggestions and actually implementing the suggested areas.

Expanding Education Options Sub-Committee - Nels Peterson

There are two meetings coming up in May. By the end of May the goal is to have some option sets for consideration. If anyone on the Commission have thoughts on what option sets you would like to be addressed, please communicate to committee.  We intentionally waited for the General Assembly to end. We are diving in now and building those sets.

  • Question: Are we thinking outside the box in terms of expanding education options?
  • Answer: Yes, with charter, home schooling, inter and intra districts, etc. If you have any ideas, please let us know.                                            

Teacher Recruitment, Retention, Compensation Sub-Committee - Pam Williams

We have been very busy and intentionally reaching out to teachers across Georgia. We want to hear from teachers. Our goal in the teacher input sessions were to hear from teachers and glean input from teachers. We asked teachers to take problems and make suggestions on how things could be better. Teachers were allowed to go around the room and review input from other teachers. The hottest button was curriculum, instruction and assessment, financial compensation, professionalism, assessment and teacher evaluation. We created an EDmoto account (similar to FB for teachers) so that teachers can provide feedback. Fulton County Schools and Marietta City Schools will give a presentation on how they are changing teacher compensation. Next week we have a meeting in Macon with 10 college deans from around the state. No solutions on the table at this point; we are still making recommendations.

Discussion, Q & A by Commission Members

No additional discussion by commission members

Public Comments

  • Alan Fort– Superintendent, Quitman County
    • Discussed the programs that are available in the Quitman County school system.  Only 3 million dollars in their budget. We are a poor district. Before you can have education reform in the state of Georgia you have to have economic reform in the state of Georgia.
  • Clinton Guess
    • No comment (will comment in the Funding Committee)
  • Mickey Weldon – Principal, Tift County
    • Mr. Weldon asked the Commission to take a look at testing. A student who speaks no English has to sit in the testing area for 5 hours. Look at ways for parents to be involved. Develop ways to assist districts in updating parents’ contact information. Look at truancy laws.
  • Joy West – Special Education Director, Tift County Schools
    • When looking at funding, please consider the hospital and homebound students and students with mental health issues. Look at ways to educate those students.
  • John – Technology Officer, Tift County School
    • Need to incentivize schools for innovation on the CCRPCI.
      • There’s a need for a simplistic approach. Eighty-five percent of GMATS testing is conducted online. Technology matters in terms of funding.
  • Scott Haskins – Principle, Tift County Schools
    • We need flexibility to hire more teachers, need people over special programs. A young lady has come to our school who had some discipline programs and we need funding in place to hire the personnel needed for special programs.
  • Stephanie Morrow – K-3 Principle, Tift County Schools
    • RTI is a successful process when you have the personnel in place. This in an unfunded mandate. We need additional funds for RTI director and other programs.
  • Patrick Atwater - Superintendent of Tift County Schools
    • The comments shows the Commission is listening. Ninety-five percent of Tift County reading on level in 3rd grade. We cannot lose SPLOST. Consider fewer departments. Please include us in the Hall County pilot program. There are 34 pathways in Tift. Curriculum and assessment is affecting teacher morale.

Education Reform Commission Schedule of Meetings – Dr. Knapp

May 20, 2015
June 23, 2015
July 28, 2015

Meeting Adjourned