The State Board of Education will meet this week, March 4 through 6, in the Education Building at 301 N. Wilmington Street, Raleigh.
A special highlight of this month’s meeting will be an address by U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings on Wednesday, March 5, at 9:30 a.m. Secretary Spellings will be available to the news media following her address. That availability will be held at approximately 10:15 a.m., in Room 224 of the Education Building. For reporters who cannot attend the event in Raleigh, a special call-in number will be available for you to hear the news conference. The number is 1- 800-857-1849 and the PASSCODE is EDUCATION.
Following is a summary of the Board’s regular agenda. The complete agenda will be available online later this week. Also, the State Board’s committee meetings and full Board meeting are audio streamed for those who can’t attend. To listen to the sessions, please go online and scroll to the Live Audio Stream links. For more information, please contact the NCDPI’s Communications division at 919.807.3450.
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
The Globally Competitive Students Committee, co-chaired by State Board members Kathy Taft and Tricia Willoughby, will meet in the 7th Floor Board Room, Education Building. Agenda items include action on the impact of possible revision of the K-5 Standard Course of Study in Mathematics and discussion of the 2008 invitation to submit textbooks for evaluation and adoption in North Carolina and a waiver to allow five pilot school systems to replace present special education identification and eligibility procedures with the responsiveness to instruction procedures. Members also will meet as the State Board of Career-Technical Education and discuss the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 Five-Year State Plan.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 7:45 – 9:15 a.m.
The Business/Finance and Advocacy Committee, co-chaired by State Board members Kevin Howell and John Tate, will meet in the 7th Floor Board Room, Education Building. Agenda items include action on the Board¹s 2008-09 Supplemental Budget request and approval of IMPACT I and IMPACT III grant awards.
9:30 – 10:15 a.m.
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings will address the State Board of Education.
10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
The 21st Century Professionals Committee, co-chaired by State Board members Shirley Harris and Eulada Watt, will meet in Room 504 (Video-Conferencing Center), Education Building. Agenda items include action on the policy on eligibility for State Teacher of the Year and discussion of the standards for school executive preparation programs, adoption of a Praxis II test for licensure in Latin and deletion of expired testing requirements, and addition of elementary level (grades K-6) licensure areas in reading, English-as-a-Second Language, and special education: cross categorical.
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The Leadership for Innovation Committee, co-chaired by State Board members Melissa Bartlett and Tom Speed, will meet in the 7th Floor Board Room, Education Building. Agenda items include action on program approval exemption requests under the Innovative Education Initiatives Act, school-based calendar waivers for educational purposes, the recommendation for revocation of Omuteko Gwamaziima Charter school and final approval of new charter schools. Members will discuss revision of the State Board policy for charter schools on financial and governance non-compliance.
12:15 p.m.
Board members will attend Finance Officers’ Awards Luncheon being held in Room 150, Education Building.
1:30 – 3:45 p.m.
The Board will meet as a whole in the 7th Floor Board Room, Education Building. The Board’s afternoon session will focus on its Information Agenda including the NCLB Enhancing Education through Technology  IMPACT Evaluation Report, the performance audit of the academically and/or intellectually gifted program and the selection of LEAs to implement the new Teacher Evaluation Instrument in 2008-09. Committee chairs also will report on their action on first reading and discussion items.
THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 8:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Members will recognize Cisco fellow Ed Carney, Ray Holland and Don Smith; receive reports from the Chairman, State Superintendent and Deputy State Superintendent; and take action on agenda items as appropriate.