PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

Transcription

1 PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

2 PROVIDING A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION Educational Leadership Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) is well known for its system of school-based management, which places decision making and accountability at the school level. Dedicated to Providing A World-Class Education, the School Division has earned widespread recognition for: Specialty instructional programs; Use of technology to inform instruction; Teacher committees that guide the transition and implementation of the curriculum; Professional Learning Communities for professional development; Divisionwide implementation of Safe Schools and Wellness Plans; Implementation of the Healthy Communities Healthy Youth program; and Instructional support teams that work with schools and teachers in the classroom Strategic Plan Goals GOAL 1: All students meet high standards of performance. GOAL 2: The teaching, learning, and working environment is caring, safe and healthy, and values human diversity. GOAL 3: Family and community engagement create an environment focused on improved student learning and work readiness. GOAL 4: Faculty, staff, and leaders are qualified, high performing, diverse, and motivated. GOAL 5: The organizational system is aligned, integrated, and equitable. Educational Excellence The School Division is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including: Virginia School Counselor Association Elementary Principal of the Year, 2014 Ranked #1 in Digital School District Survey, National School Boards Association, 2014 Energy Star Certification, 19 schools cumulative, 2014 Nation s 100 Best Communities for Young People, America s Promise Alliance and ING, three years in a row All PWCS high schools continue to be ranked among the top nine percent in the United States, in The Washington Post High School Challenge, 2014 American School Counselor Association Model Programs, Virginia Schools to Watch, National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award, Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, Government Finance Officers Association, Excellence in Financial Reporting, Government Finance Officers Association, Meritorious Budget Award, Association of School Business Officials, Top-10 Ranking in Digital School Districts Survey, National School Boards Association, Northern Virginia Living Magazine named Osbourn Park High School s Biotechnology Center and the Governor s Innovation Park among the top schools in the Commonwealth for excellence and innovation, 2013 Northern Virginia Living Magazine named 14 Prince William County elementary schools among the top 25 percent in Northern Virginia, 2013 Crystal Star Award of Excellence in Dropout Recovery, 2013 Virtual High School Digital Content and Curriculum Achievement Award, 2013 College Board AP District Honor Roll, Gold Award of Distinction schools, Healthier US School Challenge, USDA, Victoria D. de Sanchez Northern Virginia Hispanic Teacher of the Year, 2010, 2013 Virginia Board of Education Index of Performance Awards, 2009, Outstanding School Business Official, Virginia Association of School Business Officials, 2012 Best of the Web Award for K-12 Education Website, Center for Digital Education, 2012 Supervisor of the Year, Virginia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 2012 Virginia Department of Education grant award for 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, 2010, 2012 Virginia Region IV Teacher of the Year, 2007, 2012 Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting, Association of School Business Officials International, Governor s Award for Educational Excellence, Lifetime Achievement Award, Heroines in Technology Awards Program, AFCEA NOVA, 2011 Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics Educator of the Year, 2011 Leadership in Foreign Language Education Award, Virginia Foreign Language Supervisors Association, 2011 Certified Green School Division, Virginia School Boards Association, Excellence in Education Award, Virginia Tech School of Education, 2007, 2011 Milken Educator Award, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011 Virginia Region IV Superintendent of the Year, 2010

3 I Legislat 1. FULLY-FUND THE STANDARDS OF QUALITY (SOQ) Prince William County Public Schools urges the Virginia legislature to take into account the real cost of meeting SOQ requirements, not just the minimum previously assumed by the state to be necessary. FAST FACTS Demographics Second-largest school division in Virginia 94 Schools 86,209 students, 1,154 additional students for school year, 1.4% growth Minority % Hispanic % Black % Asian % Two or More Races % Other % White % Special Education % English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) % Economically Disadvantaged % Personnel (Full-Time Equivalents) Total Employees...10,573 Teaching Staff...5,673 Academics All schools accredited 2014 SAT total mean score: 1511 (21-point increase over the past two years) Stanford Achievement Test scores (grades 4, 6, and 9) above the national average Eighty-four percent of graduates plan to continue their education at universities, colleges, and other schools On-time Graduation Rate: 91% (7 th among top 50 largest U.S. school systems, Education Week ) High School Specialty Instructional Programs Advanced Placement Scholars Biotechnology Cambridge Programme Environmental and Natural Sciences Fine and Performing Arts Information Technology International Baccalaureate Programme International Studies and Languages STEM Program at the Governor s Innovation Park PWCS is focused on instruction and has Implemented full-day kindergarten Divisionwide; Provided a level of support that has enabled two schools to earn authorization and one school to be accepted as a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme; Implemented a program that provides students with SAT preparations (e.g., online SAT practice tests, paid PSATs for all 10 th - and 11 th -graders); Implemented teaching practices to educate students in the least restrictive environment, creating a sense of belonging for all students; Implemented the teaching of literacy (English/ language arts and math) across the curriculum; Implemented Professional Learning Communities; Implemented a Wellness Plan, a Bullying Prevention Program, and a Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Council; and Focused on enhanced customer service by being more inviting, welcoming, and customer oriented at all schools and central offices. Board supports legislation that would provide full-funding for implementing the Standards of Quality (SOQ), including for support personnel. 2. FUND TEACHER SALARY INCREASES AND REINSTATE FULL-FUNDING FOR THE COST-OF-COMPETING ALLOCATION (COCA) In order to meet federal, state, and local academic benchmarks, PWCS must be able to compete for the best and brightest teachers. Funding for teacher salaries is essential to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers. The Commonwealth of Virginia must provide school divisions with increased funding for the Commonwealth s share of teacher and support staff salaries and benefits. Board supports legislation that would provide funding for annual teacher salary increases and reinstate full-funding of COCA in Region 4 school divisions for both teachers and support staff. 3. ELIMINATE A-F GRADING OF SCHOOLS While implementation of the state s A-F grading of schools has been delayed, it should be eliminated. Education is a complex endeavor, therefore it is important to evaluate schools fairly and comprehensively. The idea of an A-F grading scale that provides each school with a single grade summarizing the school s quality or effectiveness is problematic for a variety of reasons: Using a single letter grade to rate a school is equivalent to assigning a single letter grade to a student for their entire year s course-

4 ive Priorities work, all subjects combined. Instead, students receive grades in the different content areas. Assigning a single grade eliminates the context for how a student or school performs and thereby oversimplifies a school s performance. The context for performance, including factors such as new, more rigorous standards and assessments, is critical to consider and understand. The current Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) School Report Cards already contain a wealth of information about school performance. A single metric to rate schools would be especially unfair to Title I and other schools with higher poverty and student mobility. Board supports legislation that would eliminate the A-F Grading of Virginia schools. 4. RE-EXAMINE STUDENT ASSESSMENTS AND SUPPORT EXPEDITED RETAKES While the state has made changes to student assessments with the elimination of several Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, it is important that the state continue to explore additional opportunities to move toward balanced assessments that reflect greater validity, use more cost efficient sampling techniques, allow for expedited retakes for all students regardless of grade level or course, more accurately represent what students know, are essential to students life-long success, and allow for teachers to nurture a sense of inquiry and love of learning in all students. Board supports legislation that would continue to reexamine Virginia s public school student assessments and the corresponding system of accountability. 5. FUND THE VIRGINIA STUDENT TRAINING AND REFURBISHMENT PROGRAM (VA STAR) PWCS has successfully implemented VA STAR, a collaborative effort to introduce Virginia s students to careers in information technology repair and associated certifications, while providing recycled computers, monitors, and printers to economically disadvantaged students and schools across the commonwealth. With the state s financial support over the past several years, 47 Virginia schools in 26 Virginia school divisions are now participating in this program and have received over 6,250 computers equipped with Windows licenses. These school divisions have benefited from a significant cost-avoidance for not having to purchase new computers more than tripling the return on the investment provided by the state funding. VA STAR also provides students with a STEMbased (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), hands-on career training opportunity as they refurbish and upgrade the donated computers. Additionally, VA STAR has the added benefit of being a green program keeping upgradable and repurposed technology from being deposited in landfills. Board supports legislation that would provide continued, ongoing annual funding to PWCS to coordinate the statewide management and expansion of the VA STAR program, which provides free, refurbished computers to students and schools in need of technology. 6. INCLUDE RECESS AS PART OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY Elementary school recess provides a supervised, teacher-guided, and informal social instructional setting for students to interact. Counting recess as part of the instructional day is a more accurate accounting of instructional minutes. This action would have an added benefit when school days are lost in years with more than the typical number of days of inclement weather. Additionally, if the General Assembly imposes any additional minimal physical activity requirement, then recess time must be included as part of the instructional day. Board supports legislation that would give local school boards the option to count up to 15 minutes of daily, unstructured elementary school recess as part of the instructional day, as a more accurate accounting of instructional minutes.

5 II. Statements of Support/Opposition Organized by State Legislative K-12 Subject Areas BUSES/BUILDINGS/SAFETY would move the June election date to the last Tuesday in June so school is out and students are not in the buildings to address safety concerns. strengthen the requirement on school divisions across the Commonwealth to provide concussion education awareness, training, and implementation of a management plan, consistent with practices in PWCS. CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE Oppose any bills that would mandate additional statewide disciplinary procedures that would inhibit school administrators in circumstances where immediate disciplinary intervention is required. FINANCE/PURCHASING/ FOOD SERVICE make the state nutritional guidelines for competitive foods sold in Virginia public schools match the federal USDA regulations/legislation. would eliminate the local school division budgetary match currently required to receive Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) funding, which would allow PWCS to expand preschool opportunities without negatively impacting other programs and services. eliminate unnecessary mandates and fully fund any new mandates placed upon school divisions. do not allow the state to use lottery funds to supplant general funding for Virginia school divisions. do not narrowly define the criteria for 65% of expenditures being spent on instruction and do not make the requirement and guidelines mandatory. provide additional state funding for Governor s Schools. Oppose any bills that would require funding to follow the student in situations in which the home school division offers a virtual school program but the student elects to enroll in one offered by another school division. INSTRUCTION AND STANDARDS OF LEARNING Support and advocate for all bills directing the state to define comparable verified units for students transferring to Virginia school divisions from other states for graduation purposes. Oppose any bills that would require additional time per week for physical education, due to the financial impact and the effect it would have on the length of the school day. INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY allow for Virginia Public School Authority (VPSA) funds to be used to lease technology refresh equipment and not be limited to only the purchase of such devices. RETIREMENT AND INSURANCE have the state carry at least half of the Virginia Retirement System net pension accounting liability on its books rather than requiring local school divisions to cover all of it as part of GASB 68. Support and advocate for all bills directing the Virginia Workers Compensation Commission to establish uniform fee schedules governing all such services in Virginia. SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE Support and advocate for bills that give discretion to local school boards regarding participation of non-public school students in Virginia High School League and local extra-curricular activities. would give local school divisions more flexibility to implement policies to improve K-12 effectiveness and efficiency, such as repeal of the law that prevents school divisions from opening before Labor Day. Support and advocate for all bills providing school divisions with flexibility on the requirement for 140 seat-hours to allow for greater opportunities for virtual and dual enrollment courses. Oppose any bills that would divest (limit) local school boards of their authority over the formation and operation of charter schools within their school divisions. STANDARDS OF QUALITY/ STANDARDS OF ACCREDITATION provide state funding within the SOQ for school divisions to have one nurse for every 750 students, as per the National Association of School Nurses recommendation. would allow for use of the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) score for English Language Learner (ELL) students as a substitute score for the English 11 Reading SOL test. SPECIAL SERVICES would fund the PWCS Teen Safe Driving program statewide.

6 SCHOOL BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION SCHOOL BOARD Mr. Milton C. Johns Chairman At-Large Mrs. Alyson A.Satterwhite Vice Chairman Gainesville District Mrs. Lisa E. Bell Neabsco District Mrs. Betty D. Covington Potomac District Mrs. Lillie G. Jessie Occoquan District Dr. Michael I. Otaigbe Coles District Mr. Gil Trenum Brentsville District Ms. Loree Y. Williams Woodbridge District SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Ms. Rae E. Darlington Deputy Superintendent Mr. William G. Bixby Associate Superintendent for Middle Schools Mr. David S. Cline Associate Superintendent for Finance and Support Services Mr. R. Todd Erickson Associate Superintendent for Central Elementary Schools Mrs. Rita Everett Goss Associate Superintendent for Eastern Elementary Schools Dr. Steven L. Walts SUPERINTENDENT S STAFF Mrs. Jarcelynn M. Hart Associate Superintendent for Western Elementary Schools Dr. Timothy L. Healey Associate Superintendent for Student Learning and Accountability Mr. Keith A. Imon Associate Superintendent for Communications and Technology Services Mr. Keith J. Johnson Associate Superintendent for Human Resources Mr. Michael A. Mulgrew Associate Superintendent for High Schools PUBLIC SCHOOLS Providing A World-Class Education Prince William County P.O. BOX 389 MANASSAS, VA Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) does not discriminate in employment or in its educational programs and activities against qualified individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability. PWCS provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following individual will handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, including Section 504 and Title IX: Associate Superintendent for Human Resources Prince William County Public Schools, P.O. Box 389, Manassas, VA Produced by the Department for Communications and Technology Services January 2015 RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATIONS BY THE NATIONAL SCHOOL PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION Information provided is based on the latest available data from Prince William County Public Schools. For further information, contact: Keith Imon, Associate Superintendent for Communications and Technology Services at imonka@pwcs.edu or , or Jim Council, PWCS Lobbyist at jgovconsult@verizon.net or FOR THE LATEST LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, VISIT THE PWCS WEB SITE AT