100 minutes that included portfolios and exhibitions as a path to demonstrating proficiency
The meeting started at 5:30 and ended at 7:10 p.m. on October 11
List of Minutes and video of the Council for Elementary and Secondary Education
Quick link TINYURL.com/rideminutes
Oct 11 Meeting
Present: Daniel McConaghy, *Colby Anderson, **Amy Beretta, Colleen Callahan,
Barbara Cottam, Karin Forbes, Marta Martinez, Lawrence Purtill, and Joyce Stevos
Absent: Jo Eva Gaines
Unanimous Vote
ON PAGE 11 of the Minutes, the vote was shown to be unanimous in support of the regulations (ACTION ITEM)
a. Approval of the Regulations of the Council on Elementary and Secondary
Education – Middle and High School Learning Environments and the R.I.
Diploma System
On a motion duly made by Joyce Stevos and seconded by Karin Forbes, it was
VOTED: That the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education
approves the amended Regulations of the Council on
Elementary and Secondary Education – Middle and High
School Learning Environments and the R.I. Diploma System,
as presented
Student representative Colby Anderson, expressed that although the members of the Student
Advisory Council support the proposed changes to the regulations, they do not support
districts having the option of requiring a state assessment as a graduation requirement.
Council Member Beretta asked when RIDE anticipates having the Council’s designations ready
and in what form. She is very concerned that there will be one set of requirements for the Class
of 2021, another set for the Class of 2022, and so on, and that she finds that problematic.
Commissioner Wagner responded that he anticipates that the designations could change over
time as a widely recognized state assessment becomes available or as school districts start telling
RIDE that we missed a fairly important pathway designation and that they would like us to add
another one. The way it is structured is that it will be something that will come to the Council,
but it would not rise up to the threshold of regulation or go through the regulation process. It
will almost be like an appendix to fill in details of the regulations.
Council Member Beretta expressed that if it’s not in regulation she is concerned that every time
the complexion of the Council changes, changes will be made and students who will be
graduating in 2021 are not going to know what the requirements are the day they start high
school.
Commissioner Wagner responded that there is a requirement in the regulation that the
expectations be set by ninth grade and that the Council would be violating its own regulations if
it changed the rules for students who are in the middle of high school.
In December, RIDE
will bring to the Council for approval the expectations and the performance standard of what
they would want for a commissioner’s seal. On the pathway side, the Council will have to
Minutes
Page 11 of 12
approve what the framework should look like and RIDE will fill in the details through guidance.
Designations are optional, which means that the Council can preapprove them and adopt them,
but school districts do not have to offer the suggested pathway endorsements.
Commissioner
Wagner expressed that his recommendation would be that the Council not get into the nuances
of best practices, as they can change year after year. It is perhaps not the policy direction that
Councils typically get into, but rather the operational expertise of school districts.
Deputy Snider clarified that the most urgent piece that RIDE is working on right now is getting
clarity around what is on the menu of assessments to earn a commissioner’s seal and what those
features are. RIDE will bring it for Council discussion in December as this coming spring it will
need to inform the current eighth graders (Class of 2021) what score they need to earn in the
PARCC exam in order to earn a commissioner’s seal. RIDE also wants to have the flexibility
as it looks at more measures to add on to the menu without having to open up the regulations
every time something is added.
Commissioner Wagner suggested that, when the recommendations on the designations are
brought to the Council for approval in December, if the Council sees that it’s something
that rises to the threshold of regulation as opposed to policy, then we can change it.
Board Chair Cottam expressed that the diploma requirements are in the regulations and that it’s
only the optional designations that need to be fleshed out and adopted by the Council as a
policy.
Council Member Callahan voiced that she remains uncomfortable with the inclusion of local
decision-making around the utilization of a statewide assessment as a local graduation
requirement given the level of angst and outcry that could bubble up from the local level.
Commissioner Wagner expressed that a state agency typically sets minimal standards, which
local school districts can decide to exceed. Singling out the state assessment as an exception to
local school district discretion would be purely because of some of the energy around that
particular decision. It doesn’t strike him as a sufficient threshold to get in the way of the dozens
of decisions that school districts can always make about exceeding the state minimal.
Vote: 8 members voted in the affirmative and 0 members
voted in the negative as follows:
YEAS: Daniel McConaghy, Amy Beretta, Colleen Callahan,
Barbara Cottam, Karin Forbes, Marta Martinez,
Lawrence Purtill, and Joyce Stevos
NAYS: 0
=========================================
Response
To the members of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education
Daniel McConaghy, Amy Beretta, Colleen Callahan, Barbara Cottam, Karin Forbes, Marta Martinez, Lawrence Purtill, and Joyce Stevos
I've had the pleasure of reading about approval of the use of portoflios and exhibitions as
Steve McCrea
Teacher
Fort Lauderdale, FL
ManyPosters@gmail.com
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Here are two ways to say THANK YOU to the Board of Education for creating the Office of Multiple Pathways
Dear Board of Education in Rhode Island
RE: Thank you for creating the Office of Multiple Pathways
Attn: Chairman
I'm a high school teacher in Florida. I want my students to have "multiple pathways" to graduation. When I heard about your board's work to create the office of multiple pathways, I told my students that there is some hope for students in the future.
In particular, we are heartened to know that somewhere in the USA, some students can earn a high school diploma with exhibitions and portfolios .... and their scores on standarized tests won't hold them back.
Some of my students have volunteered to lobby WHOMEVER about giving the Department of Education in Florida the authority to create a similar OFFICE OF MULTIPLE PATHWAYS in our state.
In GREAT appreciation of the significant amount of time that you will spend in the future helping us,
and to celebrate the existence of your office and its mission,
our class wants to offer you and your schools some prizes and surprises.
FOR YOUR Council on Elementary and Secondary Education: A package of healthy snacks
FOR THE STAFF PEOPLE who will work on setting rubrics and standards for judging the portfolios and exhibitions: Here are some energy bars to distribute to staffers who are working developing the standards for portfolios and exhibitions.
Please distribute the energy bars to your staff people who will probably work long hours to figure out how to evaluate portfolios and exhibitions.
Our students have been studying the PORTFOLIOS at HIGH TECH HIGH schools.
We hope that Rhode Island students will follow the example of HIGH TECH HIGH students and use Google Sites and Weebly to display their work publicly.
We particularly like the work of Ben Staley www.TINYURL.com/ExampleDP and Abel Thon www.TINYURL.com/AbelSite, students at High Tech High Schools
Thank you for your time.
Please accept these gifts with our gratitude for assistance you can give Florida in setting up an Office of Multiple Pathways.
Steve McCrea
Free Website Project
freewebsiteproject.blogspot.com
THANK YOU!
LINK to the Statement by the Board of Education
http://tinyurl.com/rideportfolios
Key points: The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education tonight (October 11) unanimously approved revisions to the Rhode Island graduation requirements that give students more personalized “ownership” over their high-school diploma.
The revisions to the Secondary School Regulations eliminate the use of standardized assessments as a statewide graduation requirement.
The revised regulations retain the requirement that graduating students demonstrate proficiency through a “performance-based assessment,” such as a senior project, exhibition, or portfolio of work. For the first time the regulations specify that the scoring criteria for these assessments must be “aligned with high-school, level state-adopted content standards and applied learning standards.”
LINK to the article on Providence JOURNAL newspaper
TINYURL.com/rhodeislandnews
http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20161011/changes-in-ri-graduation-requirements-for-class-of-2021-approved
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS website
Responses about the "Alternative Path to Graduation"
Projects and a Path to Graduation
"Push students to do research on their own."
A panel of teachers can evaluate the exhibition and portfolio.
"This method could change the history of education. This is the goal of personalized education."
-- Mario Llorente Leyva
"Think of the mind of students if they have an alternative like this.
Think about what colleges can do with a high sch0ol student's work.
Even remedial work can be found easily by looking at a student's portfolio."
-- Mario Llorente Leyva
This is an Alternative Path to Graduation.
See the REGULATIONS in Rhode Island
http://www.ride.ri.gov/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/Diploma-System/Proposed_Secondary_School_Regulations_5-9-16.pdf
"Push students to do research on their own."
A panel of teachers can evaluate the exhibition and portfolio.
"This method could change the history of education. This is the goal of personalized education."
-- Mario Llorente Leyva
"Think of the mind of students if they have an alternative like this.
Think about what colleges can do with a high sch0ol student's work.
Even remedial work can be found easily by looking at a student's portfolio."
-- Mario Llorente Leyva
This is an Alternative Path to Graduation.
See the REGULATIONS in Rhode Island
http://www.ride.ri.gov/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/Diploma-System/Proposed_Secondary_School_Regulations_5-9-16.pdf
Monday, November 14, 2016
The full statement by the Rhode Island Commission of Education
Here is the full announcement from the Council in Rhode Island:
=======================================
==================
The Coalition in Florida aims to get projects and exhibitions as part of the paths to graduation for students. Let's work together to bring the Rhode island program to Florida.
=======================================
New regulations offer students multiple pathways to earn a diploma
The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education tonight (October 11) unanimously approved revisions to the Rhode Island graduation requirements that give students more personalized “ownership” over their high-school diploma.
The revisions to the Secondary School Regulations eliminate the use of standardized assessments as a statewide graduation requirement.
The revised regulations retain the requirement that graduating students demonstrate proficiency through a “performance-based assessment,” such as a senior project, exhibition, or portfolio of work. For the first time the regulations specify that the scoring criteria for these assessments must be “aligned with high-school, level state-adopted content standards and applied learning standards.”
The revised regulations also contain a section on “improving literacy and numeracy” for students performing below grade level; the previous regulation focused only on students reading below grade level.
The revised regulations leave unchanged the requirements for course completion: 20 courses including 4 in English, 4 in mathematics, 3 in science, 3 in social students, and 6 determined locally.
“Our goal throughout the process of developing new, standards-based graduation requirements has been to maintain the value of the diploma while meeting the needs of students through a menu of options on assessments and courses,” said Barbara S. Cottam, Chair of the Board of Education. “I am confident that these new regulations will help students build the skills they need for success while providing colleges and employers with useful information about graduating seniors.”
Under the new regulations, students can earn a Commissioner’s Seal by demonstrating their proficiency in literacy and mathematics on the statewide assessments or on other assessments, such as the SAT. At a later date, the Council will approve a list of assessments and the performance level students must attain to earn the Commissioner’s Seal.
Students can also earn optional Pathway Endorsements, such as a Seal of Biliteracy, by demonstrating their learning in a topic of personal interest (e.g., world languages, science and technology, public service, career-technical education). Following guidance that the R.I. Department of Education will develop, local school districts will establish lists of Pathway Endorsements that their graduates can earn, as well as the criteria for demonstrating learning (e.g., completion of a series of courses, completion of an advanced or experiential learning project, earning industry-recognized credentials).
The revised Diploma System will go into effect for the Class of 2021 (today’s 8th-graders).
“The new graduation requirements that the Council has approved are rigorous enough to make the diploma meaningful yet flexible enough to reflect the needs, interests, knowledge, and skills of each of our graduates,” said Daniel P. McConaghy, Chair of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education. “Our top priority is providing students with the skills they will need for success in the 21st-century economy, and this new diploma system will encourage students to excel in academics and to pursue individual pathways that can lead them to challenging careers.”
“Our new diploma system provides a menu of options for students, recognizing that one size does not fit all,” said Ken Wagner, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “The diploma belongs to the student, not us. The new Diploma System lets students personalize and own their diploma as it will better reflect their interests and strengths.”
Commissioner Wagner added that RIDE is in the process of developing a new system for school and district accountability, which may include the percentage of graduates earning the Commissioner’s Seal or Pathway Endorsements to measure school and district success.
“Under a new accountability system, we may set goals to encourage schools to increase the percentages of graduates earning these designations,” Wagner said. “We are moving to a system that holds schools and districts accountable for helping more and more students navigate personal pathways through the K-12 system that reflect their strengths, interests, and levels of achievement that prepare them for college and the 21st century workforce.”
The revised regulations replace those that the former Board of Regents adopted five years ago. Those 2011 regulations established the requirement that students had to attain a scoring level of “partially proficient” on state assessments in order to earn a diploma. That requirement was set to go into effect for the Class of 2014, when the General Assembly passed legislation forbidding the use of standardized assessments as a graduation requirement until the Class of 2017 at the earliest.
As under the previous regulations, local communities may establish their own graduation requirements in addition to those established and specified in these new regulations.
Regardless of state or local graduation requirements, all eligible high-school students are expected to participate in statewide standardized assessments.
The R.I. Department of Education (RIDE) has worked over the past year in developing these revisions to the Secondary School Regulations (Diploma System). To receive public input during the process, RIDE and the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education held 4 community forums, met with 22 stakeholder groups, and conducted 4 public hearings.
###
==============================
THIS WEBPAGE was emailed to me by Peter McWalter (thank you)
It appears that regulations were created by the Board of Education.
===============================
TO DO
Contact Ken Wagner
Contact the Chair of the Board of Education
“Our goal throughout the process of developing new, standards-based graduation requirements has been to maintain the value of the diploma while meeting the needs of students through a menu of options on assessments and courses,” said Barbara S. Cottam, Chair of the Board of Education.
==================
The Coalition in Florida aims to get projects and exhibitions as part of the paths to graduation for students. Let's work together to bring the Rhode island program to Florida.
Welcome to the Coalition
We support the idea that students can use portfolios and exhibitions to show their abilities, skills and proficiency.
See the work of the Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education.
Here is an excerpt from a press release about the program.
Here
Here is the full announcement from the Council in Rhode Island:
=======================================
The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education tonight (October 11) unanimously approved revisions to the Rhode Island graduation requirements that give students more personalized “ownership” over their high-school diploma.
The revisions to the Secondary School Regulations eliminate the use of standardized assessments as a statewide graduation requirement. The revised regulations retain the requirement that graduating students demonstrate proficiency through a “performance-based assessment,” such as a senior project, exhibition, or portfolio of work. For the first time the regulations specify that the scoring criteria for these assessments must be “aligned with high-school, level state-adopted content standards and applied learning standards.”
The revised regulations also contain a section on “improving literacy and numeracy” for students performing below grade level; the previous regulation focused only on students reading below grade level.
The revised regulations leave unchanged the requirements for course completion: 20 courses including 4 in English, 4 in mathematics, 3 in science, 3 in social students, and 6 determined locally.
“Our goal throughout the process of developing new, standards-based graduation requirements has been to maintain the value of the diploma while meeting the needs of students through a menu of options on assessments and courses,” said Barbara S. Cottam, Chair of the Board of Education. “I am confident that these new regulations will help students build the skills they need for success while providing colleges and employers with useful information about graduating seniors.”
Under the new regulations, students can earn a Commissioner’s Seal by demonstrating their proficiency in literacy and mathematics on the statewide assessments or on other assessments, such as the SAT. At a later date, the Council will approve a list of assessments and the performance level students must attain to earn the Commissioner’s Seal.
Students can also earn optional Pathway Endorsements, such as a Seal of Biliteracy, by demonstrating their learning in a topic of personal interest (e.g., world languages, science and technology, public service, career-technical education). Following guidance that the R.I. Department of Education will develop, local school districts will establish lists of Pathway Endorsements that their graduates can earn, as well as the criteria for demonstrating learning (e.g., completion of a series of courses, completion of an advanced or experiential learning project, earning industry-recognized credentials).
The revised Diploma System will go into effect for the Class of 2021 (today’s 8th-graders).
“The new graduation requirements that the Council has approved are rigorous enough to make the diploma meaningful yet flexible enough to reflect the needs, interests, knowledge, and skills of each of our graduates,” said Daniel P. McConaghy, Chair of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education. “Our top priority is providing students with the skills they will need for success in the 21st-century economy, and this new diploma system will encourage students to excel in academics and to pursue individual pathways that can lead them to challenging careers.”
“Our new diploma system provides a menu of options for students, recognizing that one size does not fit all,” said Ken Wagner, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “The diploma belongs to the student, not us. The new Diploma System lets students personalize and own their diploma as it will better reflect their interests and strengths.”
Commissioner Wagner added that RIDE is in the process of developing a new system for school and district accountability, which may include the percentage of graduates earning the Commissioner’s Seal or Pathway Endorsements to measure school and district success.
“Under a new accountability system, we may set goals to encourage schools to increase the percentages of graduates earning these designations,” Wagner said. “We are moving to a system that holds schools and districts accountable for helping more and more students navigate personal pathways through the K-12 system that reflect their strengths, interests, and levels of achievement that prepare them for college and the 21st century workforce.”
The revised regulations replace those that the former Board of Regents adopted five years ago. Those 2011 regulations established the requirement that students had to attain a scoring level of “partially proficient” on state assessments in order to earn a diploma. That requirement was set to go into effect for the Class of 2014, when the General Assembly passed legislation forbidding the use of standardized assessments as a graduation requirement until the Class of 2017 at the earliest.
As under the previous regulations, local communities may establish their own graduation requirements in addition to those established and specified in these new regulations.
Regardless of state or local graduation requirements, all eligible high-school students are expected to participate in statewide standardized assessments.
The R.I. Department of Education (RIDE) has worked over the past year in developing these revisions to the Secondary School Regulations (Diploma System). To receive public input during the process, RIDE and the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education held 4 community forums, met with 22 stakeholder groups, and conducted 4 public hearings.
See the work of the Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education.
Here is an excerpt from a press release about the program.
Here
Here is the full announcement from the Council in Rhode Island:
=======================================
New regulations offer students multiple pathways
to earn a diploma
1. PERSONALIZED: The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education tonight (October 11) unanimously approved revisions to the Rhode Island graduation requirements that give students more personalized “ownership” over their high-school diploma.
2. PERFORMANCE: The revised regulations retain the requirement that graduating students demonstrate proficiency through a “performance-based assessment,” such as a senior project, exhibition, or portfolio of work. For the first time the regulations specify that the scoring criteria for these assessments must be “aligned with high-school, level state-adopted content standards and applied learning standards.”
3. OPTIONS “Our new diploma system provides a menu of options for students, recognizing that one size does not fit all,” said Ken Wagner, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “The diploma belongs to the student, not us. The new Diploma System lets students personalize and own their diploma as it will better reflect their interests and strengths.”
4. CLASS OF 2021: The revised Diploma System will go into effect for the Class of 2021 (today’s 8th-graders).
5. LEGISLATION: The revised regulations replace those that the former Board of Regents adopted five years ago. Those 2011 regulations established the requirement that students had to attain a scoring level of “partially proficient” on state assessments in order to earn a diploma. That requirement was set to go into effect for the Class of 2014, when the General Assembly passed legislation forbidding the use of standardized assessments as a graduation requirement until the Class of 2017 at the earliest.
6. LOCAL OPTION: As under the previous regulations, local communities may establish their own graduation requirements in addition to those established and specified in these new regulations.
7. STATEWIDE TESTS: Regardless of state or local graduation requirements, all eligible high-school students are expected to participate in statewide standardized assessments.
FOR THE FULL PRESS RELEASE
==============================
THIS WEBPAGE was emailed to me by Peter McWalter (thank you)
It appears that regulations were created by the Board of Education.
===============================
The Coalition in Florida aims to get projects and exhibitions as part of the paths to graduation for students. Let's work together to bring the Rhode island program to Florida.
=========
The full text of the press release (with key parts related to portfolios in blue)
=========
The full text of the press release (with key parts related to portfolios in blue)
The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education tonight (October 11) unanimously approved revisions to the Rhode Island graduation requirements that give students more personalized “ownership” over their high-school diploma.
The revisions to the Secondary School Regulations eliminate the use of standardized assessments as a statewide graduation requirement. The revised regulations retain the requirement that graduating students demonstrate proficiency through a “performance-based assessment,” such as a senior project, exhibition, or portfolio of work. For the first time the regulations specify that the scoring criteria for these assessments must be “aligned with high-school, level state-adopted content standards and applied learning standards.”
The revised regulations also contain a section on “improving literacy and numeracy” for students performing below grade level; the previous regulation focused only on students reading below grade level.
The revised regulations leave unchanged the requirements for course completion: 20 courses including 4 in English, 4 in mathematics, 3 in science, 3 in social students, and 6 determined locally.
“Our goal throughout the process of developing new, standards-based graduation requirements has been to maintain the value of the diploma while meeting the needs of students through a menu of options on assessments and courses,” said Barbara S. Cottam, Chair of the Board of Education. “I am confident that these new regulations will help students build the skills they need for success while providing colleges and employers with useful information about graduating seniors.”
Under the new regulations, students can earn a Commissioner’s Seal by demonstrating their proficiency in literacy and mathematics on the statewide assessments or on other assessments, such as the SAT. At a later date, the Council will approve a list of assessments and the performance level students must attain to earn the Commissioner’s Seal.
Students can also earn optional Pathway Endorsements, such as a Seal of Biliteracy, by demonstrating their learning in a topic of personal interest (e.g., world languages, science and technology, public service, career-technical education). Following guidance that the R.I. Department of Education will develop, local school districts will establish lists of Pathway Endorsements that their graduates can earn, as well as the criteria for demonstrating learning (e.g., completion of a series of courses, completion of an advanced or experiential learning project, earning industry-recognized credentials).
The revised Diploma System will go into effect for the Class of 2021 (today’s 8th-graders).
“The new graduation requirements that the Council has approved are rigorous enough to make the diploma meaningful yet flexible enough to reflect the needs, interests, knowledge, and skills of each of our graduates,” said Daniel P. McConaghy, Chair of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education. “Our top priority is providing students with the skills they will need for success in the 21st-century economy, and this new diploma system will encourage students to excel in academics and to pursue individual pathways that can lead them to challenging careers.”
“Our new diploma system provides a menu of options for students, recognizing that one size does not fit all,” said Ken Wagner, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “The diploma belongs to the student, not us. The new Diploma System lets students personalize and own their diploma as it will better reflect their interests and strengths.”
Commissioner Wagner added that RIDE is in the process of developing a new system for school and district accountability, which may include the percentage of graduates earning the Commissioner’s Seal or Pathway Endorsements to measure school and district success.
“Under a new accountability system, we may set goals to encourage schools to increase the percentages of graduates earning these designations,” Wagner said. “We are moving to a system that holds schools and districts accountable for helping more and more students navigate personal pathways through the K-12 system that reflect their strengths, interests, and levels of achievement that prepare them for college and the 21st century workforce.”
The revised regulations replace those that the former Board of Regents adopted five years ago. Those 2011 regulations established the requirement that students had to attain a scoring level of “partially proficient” on state assessments in order to earn a diploma. That requirement was set to go into effect for the Class of 2014, when the General Assembly passed legislation forbidding the use of standardized assessments as a graduation requirement until the Class of 2017 at the earliest.
As under the previous regulations, local communities may establish their own graduation requirements in addition to those established and specified in these new regulations.
Regardless of state or local graduation requirements, all eligible high-school students are expected to participate in statewide standardized assessments.
The R.I. Department of Education (RIDE) has worked over the past year in developing these revisions to the Secondary School Regulations (Diploma System). To receive public input during the process, RIDE and the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education held 4 community forums, met with 22 stakeholder groups, and conducted 4 public hearings.
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