MINUTES

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Conference Room

  Capitol Building 6, Room 353

  1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Charleston, West Virginia

November 1, 2006

 

 

I. Call to Order

 

  President Lowell E. Johnson (via telephone) called the meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) to order at 1:09 p.m. on November 1, 2006, in the Board Conference Room, Capitol Building 6, Room 353, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.

 

  The following members were present:  President Johnson, Vice President Delores W. Cook, Secretary Priscilla M. Haden, Robert W. Dunlevy, Barbara N. Fish (via telephone), Sheila M. Hamilton, Jenny N. Phillips (via telephone) and Ronald B. Spencer (via telephone), and ex officio Steven L. Paine, State Superintendent of Schools.  Members absent were Burma Hatfield and ex officios Brian E. Noland, Chancellor, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and James L. Skidmore, Chancellor, West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

 

II.  Approval of Agenda

 

  Upon motion by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Ms. Haden, the Board unanimously approved the agenda.

 

III. Policy 2520.35, 21st Century Science 9-12

  Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools

 

  Dr. Jorea Marple, Assistant State Superintendent, and Ms. Carla Williamson, Special Assignment, and Mr. Mike Kees, Coordinator, Office of Instruction, Division of Curriculum and Instructional Services, presented Policy 2520.35 for the Board’s consideration.  The secondary science content standards and objectives (CSOs) have been revised in order to: 1) raise the level of content rigor, 2) increase the depth of knowledge levels, 3) incorporate emerging content areas, 4) increase alignment to NAEP and SAT and ACT frameworks, and 5) insure that the complexity expected by the objectives is fairly distributed and increases in sophistication across grades. 

 

  Since initial placement on comment (as Policy 2520.3), the CSOs have undergone studies by Dr. Norman Webb on the depth of knowledge levels, distribution and appropriateness as related to a comparison with other states; a response report with recommendations has been received from the 21st Century Partnership, and meetings have been held with business, industry and government to receive guidance and input.  Based on this information additional revisions to the CSOs have been necessary and need to be placed on public comment.

 

  Upon motion by Mr. Dunlevy, seconded by Mrs. Fish, the Board unanimously placed Policy 2520.35 on public comment for 30 days.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment A.)

 

IV. Future Meetings

 

  The Board’s Communications Committee will meet November 6, 2006 in Charleston, West Virginia.

 

  The next regular meeting of the Board will be held November 8 and 9, 2006 in Charleston, West Virginia.

 

V.  Adjournment

 

  Upon motion by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Mrs. Hamilton and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned at 1:16 p.m.

 

    Minutes approved by the Board on December 14, 2006.

 

 

 

    _______________________________________________

  Lowell E. Johnson, President

 

 

 

  Priscilla M. Haden, Secretary

 

Minutes were recorded by

Virginia M. Harris

 Executive Secretary to

the Board.

wvbeminutes11/1/06