students’ constitutional right to a sound basic education
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Students’ Constitutional Right to a Sound Basic Education: New York’s Unfinished Agenda
New York Board of Regents - Research Work GroupThursday, December 15, 2016
Jessica R. WolffDirector of Policy and Research
Joe Rogers, Jr.Director of Public Engagement / Senior Researcher
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CampaignforEducationalEquityTeachersCollege,ColumbiaUniversity
WhoWeAre:
TheCampaignforEducationalEquityisanonprofitresearchandpolicycenteratTeachersCollege,ColumbiaUniversity,thatchampionstherightofallchildrentomeaningfuleducationalopportunity.
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CampaignforEducationalEquityTeachersCollege,ColumbiaUniversity
WhatWeDo:
• Worktodefineandsecurethefullrangeofresources,supports,andservicesnecessarytoprovidethisopportunitytounderservedchildren.
• Pursuesystemschangethroughresearch,legalanalysis,policydevelopment,teaching,andpublicengagementtoadvanceeducationalequityatthefederal,state,andlocallevels.
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PresentationMap
• ConstitutionalContext• PriorResearch• NewResearch• Recommendations
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ConstitutionalContextAsdefinedintheNewYorkCourtofAppealsdecisioninCampaignforFiscalEquity(CFE)v.State,theNewYorkStateconstitutionrequiresthestatetoprovideallofitsstudentstheopportunityfora“soundbasiceducation.”Thatmeans“ameaningfulhighschooleducation”thatwillpreparethemto
(1) “functionproductivelyascivicparticipantscapableofvoting[or]servingonajury,”and
(2)“obtaincompetitiveemployment.”
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ConstitutionalContext(cont.)
Essentially...
Soundbasiceducation=Opportunitytomeethigh-schoolgraduationrequirements
InNewYork,high-schoolgraduationrequirements=NewYorkStateLearningStandards
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ConstitutionalContext(cont.)
Accordingtothecourt,eachschoolmusthavesufficientresourcestoprovideall studentsameaningfulopportunityforasoundbasiceducation—i.e.,theresourcestoactuallyallowthemtomeettheNewYorkStateLearningStandards.
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PriorResearch
In-depthcasestudiesof33high-needschoolsineightdistrictsacrossNewYorkState:
• Rural• Suburban• SmallCity• Urban
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ProblemStatement
• Beginningin2008,therecessionstalledtheimplementationoftheCFE remedy,resultinginmajorschool-levelbudgetcutsoverthenextseveralyears.
• Thestatemadenosystematicefforttoassesstheimpactofthosecutsonstudents’accesstoasoundbasiceducation.
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ResearchQuestion
Howhavestatebudgetcutsaffectedstudents’school-levelaccesstosound-based-educationresources?
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ConstitutionallyRequiredResourceAreas
1. Qualifiedteachers,principals,andotherpersonnel
2. Suitable,up-to-datecurricula(includinganexpandedplatformofservicesfor“at-risk”students)
3. AppropriateresourcesforstudentswithdisabilitiesandEnglishlanguagelearners
4. Classsizeandinstructionalgroupings
5. Instrumentalitiesoflearning
6. Safeandorderlyenvironment
7. Adequateandaccessiblefacilities10
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Findings(PriorResearch)
• Numerousinadequaciesandinequitiesinstudents’accesstobasiceducationalresources
• Evidenceofneedforstrongerpoliciesto– ensurestudents’accesstothebasiceducationalresourcesguaranteedbystatelawand
– sustainstudents’educationalrightsevenintougheconomicorpoliticaltimes
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OurNewResearch
Students’ConstitutionalRighttoaSoundBasicEducation:NewYorkState’sUnfinishedAgenda
(November2016)
•ARoadmaptoConstitutionalComplianceTenYearsafterCFEv.State
•FillingtheRegulatoryGaps
•UtilizingaConstitutionalCostMethodology
•EnsuringResourceAccountability
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ProblemStatement
• LargenumbersofNewYorkstudentsstilllackfullaccesstofundamentallearningopportunities.
• NewYork’sad-hocsystemofresourceaccountabilityresultsintheperpetuationofresourcedisparities.
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ResearchQuestion
Whatstate-levelpolicychangesandsystemsareneededtomonitorandenforcetheprovisionofconstitutionallyrequirededucationalresources?
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Methodology
• Reviewoftheliteratureoneducationaccountability(e.g.,Darling-Hammondetal.;Oakes;Dawes&Cresswell)
• Analysisofeducation-resource-accountabilitypoliciesandsystemsadoptedbyotherstates(e.g.,MA,AR,NH,CA,VT,KY,MD,OR,WA)
• School-basedresearch
• Analysisofrelevantlegalrequirements,andcurrentNYSpoliciesandregulations
• EveryStudentSucceedsAct(ESSA)16
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SafeguardingSoundBasicEducationTaskForce
• AllianceforQualityEducation• AdvocatesforChildrenofNewYork• CenterforArtsEducation• CenterforChildren’sInitiatives• CenterforNewYorkCityAffairs• Chancellor’sParentAdvisoryCouncilofNewYork
City• CitywideCouncilonSpecialEducationofNew
YorkCity• ClassSizeMatters• ExpandEDSchools(formerlyTheAfterSchool
Corporation)• LeagueofWomenVotersofNewYorkState• Mid-HudsonSchoolStudyCouncil• NewYorkCityCitywideCouncilonSpecial
Education
• NewYorkCityChancellor’sParentsAdvisoryCouncil
• NewYorkImmigrationCoalition• NewYorkLawyersinthePublicInterest• NewYorkStateAssociationofSchoolBusiness
Administrators• NewYorkStateCouncilofSchoolSuperintendents• NewYorkStateNetworkforYouthSuccess• NewYorkStatePTA• NewYorkStateRuralSchoolsAssociation• NewYorkStateSchoolBoardsAssociation• NewYorkStateUnitedTeachers• NewYorkersforStudents’EducationalRights• ReformEducationFundingInequitiesToday
(REFIT)
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Findings(NewResearch)
Resourceaccountabilityisavitalpartofaneducationaccountabilitysystemthatprovideseducators,policymakers,andthepublictheinformationneededto
– enforcestudents’educationalrightsand
– supportcontinuousimprovementwithinschoolsanddistricts.
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FiveElementsofResourceAccountability
1. Specificresourcerequirementsforprovidingasoundbasiceducation
2. School-levelself-assessmentofresourceadequacy,andpublic-complaintprocedures
3. Districtandstatemonitoringofschool- anddistrict-levelresourceadequacy
4. Regularcollection,analysis,andreportingofdataontheavailabilityofessentialresourcesattheschoolLevel
5. Improvedenforcementmechanisms19
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I.SpecificResourceRequirementsforProvidingaSoundBasicEducation
Problem:InresponsetotheCFEdecision,NewYorkhasnotyetoutlinedtheresourcesthat,atminimum,mustbeavailableineachschooltoprovideallstudentstheopportunitytomeetNYSLearningStandardsandbeontracktocompleteameaningfulhighschooleducationthatpreparesthemforcapablecivicparticipationandcompetitivecareers.
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I.SpecificResourceRequirementsforProvidingaSoundBasicEducation(cont’d)
Recommendations:
• Resourcerequirementsshouldbespecifiedinatleastthesevenaforementionedresourcecategories.
• Reviseregulationsasnecessarytoalignwithconstitutionalrequirements(seeFillingtheRegulatoryGaps).
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II.School-LevelSelf-AssessmentofResourceAdequacy,andPublic-ComplaintProcedures
Problem:Theschoolcommunityisbestpositionedtomonitorschool-levelresourceadequacy.Butparents,students,teachers,andotherstaffmembers
• areoftenunawareofresource-adequacyrequirements;
• lackopportunitiestoparticipateinongoingmonitoringoftheextenttowhichtheirschoolisabletocomplywiththem;and
• lackeasyaccesstonecessaryrelevantdata.
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II.School-LevelSelf-AssessmentofResourceAdequacy,andPublic-ComplaintProcedures(cont’d)
Recommendations:
• Thestateshouldsupplyschool-leadershipteamsorsimilarlyrepresentativeteamswithuser-friendlyadequacymetricsand/orrubrics,relevantdata,andnecessarytrainingtocarryoutaschool-levelresource-adequacyrevieweachyear.
• Thestateshoulddeveloppubliccomplaintproceduresthatallowparents,teachersandotherschoolstaff,students,administrators,andcommunityorganizationswithevidenceofresource-adequacydeficienciestoinformtheschoolprincipalandotherofficials.
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III.DistrictandStateMonitoringofSchool-andDistrict-LevelResourceAdequacy
Problem:Schooldistrictsandthestatelacksystematicandclearlydefinedrolesinmonitoringschool- anddistrict-levelresourceadequacy.
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III.DistrictandStateMonitoringofSchool- andDistrict-LevelResourceAdequacy(cont’d)
Recommendations:
• Thedistrictsuperintendentshouldannuallyconductanauditthatassessestheadequacyofresourcesateachschool.
• TheNewYorkStateEducationDepartmentshouldregularlymonitorschool-levelresourceadequacy.
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IV.Collection,Analysis,andReportingofDataontheAvailabilityofEssentialResources
attheSchoolLevel
Problem:Atthedistrictandstatelevels,therearenumeroussourcesofdatathatrelatetoschool-levelresourceadequacy.However,NewYorkhasnosystemicmechanismforcompilingthesedatasourcesintoinformationtoolsthatcouldmonitorconstitutionalcomplianceandguidestateordistrictdecision-making.
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IV.Collection,Analysis,andReportingofDataontheAvailabilityofEssentialResources
Recommendations
• Thestateshoulddevelopsystemsforcollectingandsharingdataalignedwithsound-basic-educationresource-adequacystandards.
• Thecommissionerofeducationshouldreportannuallytothegovernor,thelegislature,andtheBoardofRegentsontheextenttowhichallschoolsinNewYorkStateareincompliancewiththestateconstitutionandareabletoprovidealloftheirstudentstheopportunityforasoundbasiceducation.
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V.ImprovedEnforcementMechanisms
Problem:Thestatedoesnotadequatelyenforceitsstatutesandregulationstoensurethatstudents,particularlystudentslivinginpoverty,receivetheresourcestowhichtheyareentitled.
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V.ImprovedEnforcementMechanisms
Recommendations:
• Makeenforcementofresourceadequacyineachschooltheexplicitresponsibilityofschool-districtofficials.
• Makeenforcementofdistrict-levelresourceadequacyanexplicitresponsibilityofthestatecommissionerofeducation.
• Revisethe“section310proceeding”tominimizelegal-processrequirementsandallowparentswhosechildrenaremostaffectedbyinequitiestofilesuchcaseseasilyandexpeditiously.
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