1. BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE MARCH 2, 2004

2. ACTIONS AND 2002-2003 RESULTS FOR YEAR 1 AND YEAR 2 BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS 1999-2003

3. MAJOR NEEDS IDENTIFIED BY COMMISSION Transform how universities and school districts work together. Transform how we recruit individuals to enter the teaching profession. Transform what and how we teach teachers. Transform what we do to retain effective teachers once they enter the teaching profession. DURING 1999-2000...

4. FOUR MAJOR AREAS IN BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION REPORTS Creation of Coordinated Partnerships Recruitment of Teacher Candidates and Certified Teachers Preparation of Quality Teachers Creation of Essential Conditions and Environments DURING 1999-2000...

5. INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF TEACHERS WITH STANDARD TEACHING CERTIFICATES 85.77 84.39 88.10 84.85 SINCE 1999-2000...

6. FIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS School District1999-2000 BRC Report2002-2003 Red River Parish55.29% 19.01% East Feliciana Parish39.27% 27.23% St. Helena Parish33.04% 22.34% Madison Parish31.86% 29.79% Assumption Parish27.38% 13.95% SINCE 1999-2000...

7. TYPES OF NON-STANDARD AUTHORIZATIONS TO TEACH 84 = Temporary Employment Permit 1,959 = Out of Field Authorization to Teach 3,913 = Temporary Authority to Teach 673 = No Certificate DURING 2002-2003... New alternate certification programs require passage of the PRAXIS specialty examination to enter alternate certification programs. Some teachers are having difficulty passing the specialty examination to enter a program.

8. A DECREASE HAS OCCURRED IN THE NUMBER OF GRADUATES OF UNDERGRADUATE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS. 2,174 2,358 1,776 1,961 397 398 The decrease has been a direct result of colleges/universities raising graduation standards. SINCE 2000-2001 (Baseline)...

9. INCREASES IN TEACHER SHORTAGE AREAS BY UNIVERSITY PROGRAM COMPLETERS 28 76 2 66 2 26 67 160 SINCE 1997-1998...

10. THE ALTERNATE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS PRODUCED SIMILAR NUMBERS OF TEACHERS IN SHORTAGE AREAS DESPITE THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS BEING FOUR TIMES LARGER THAN THE ALTERNATE PROGRAMS. 31 35 11 15 17 18 92 68 DURING 2001-2002...

11. AN INCREASE HAS OCCURRED IN THE NUMBER OF ALTERNATE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM COMPLETERS 1998-1999478 Program Completers 2001-2002643 Program Completers 398 University (Met all Requirements) 123 University (BESE waived student teaching) 113 New Teacher Project (Private Provider) 9 St. John’s Parish (Private Provider) SINCE 1998-1999...

12. INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF UNIVERSITY PROGRAM COMPLETERS WHO PASS THE PRAXIS EXAMINATION 89% 90% 96% SINCE 1999-2000....

13. PASSAGE RATE OF THREE UNIVERSITIES THAT EXITED CORRECTIVE ACTION IN ONE YEAR 100%98%97% SINCE 1999-2000....

14. NUMBER OF REGULAR PROGRAM COMPLETERS EXITING SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE PASSING THE PRAXIS EXAMINATION 42 46 61 81 Note: Southern University and A&M College has decreased the size of its regular Teacher Preparation Program from 124 in 1999-2000 to 63 in 2001-2002; however, the Praxis passage rates of the graduates have increased from 33% in 1999-2000 to a projected 100% in 2002-2003, and the number of program completers are increasing each year. SINCE 1999-2000....

15. APRIL 2003 ACCOUNTABILITY LABELS Exemplary: 2 Universities High Performing: 12 Universities Satisfactory: 2 Universities At-Risk: 0 Universities Low-Performing: 0 Universities Transitional: 3 Universities (These universities were labeled as Low-Performing during April 2002 and exited Corrective Action in one year.) DURING 2002-2003....

16. RATINGS OF UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS BY FIRST YEAR TEACHERS 115.8 Score of 105-116 = Grade of “B” Score of 117=127 = Grade of “A” “Agree” on all items. DURING 2002-2003....

17. INCREASE IN THE RETENTION OF GRADUATES OF LOUISIANA COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES AFTER ONE AND TWO YEARS OF TEACHING SINCE 1999-2000.... Years Teachers Began Teaching Total Number of New Teachers Percentage Retained Through One Year Percentage Retained Through Two Years Percentage Retained Through Three Years 1999-20001,75587.52% (n=1,536) 78.46% (n=1,377) 74.87% (n=1,314) 2000-20011,41687.57% (n=1,240) 82.70% (n=1,171) 2001-20021,56789.98% (n=1,410)

18. INCREASE IN THE RETENTION OF GRADUATES OF OUT-OF- STATE COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES AFTER ONE YEAR OF TEACHING DURING 2001-2002 SINCE 1999-2000.... Years Teachers Began Teaching Total Number of New Teachers Percentage Retained Through One Year Percentage Retained Through Two Years Percentage Retained Through Three Years 1999-2000 200 76.50% (n=153) 62.50% (n=125) 57.00% (n=114) 2000-200113974.82% (n=104) 58.99% (n=82) 2001-200218585.41% (n=158) CONCERNS:- A greater percentage of out-of-state graduates left after two years of teaching during 2000-2001 when compared to 1999-2000. - A greater percentage of out-of-state graduates left after two years of teaching (58.99%) during 2000-2001 when compared to in-state graduates of colleges/universities (82.70%).

19. INCREASE IN THE RETENTION OF TEACHERS WHO ARE NOT CERTIFIED WHEN THEY BEGIN TEACHING SINCE 1999-2000.... Years Teachers Began Teaching Total Number of New Teachers Percentage Retained Through One Year Percentage Retained Through Two Years Percentage Retained Through Three Years 1999-2000 1,740 62.93% (n=1,095) 43.97% (n=765) 39.37% (n=685) 2000-20011,48861.42% (n=914) 50.81% (n=756) 2001-20021,46565.39% (n=958)

20. INCREASE IN THE RETENTION OF ALL NEW TEACHERS (CERTIFIED AND NOT CERTIFIED) SINCE 1999-2000.... Years Teachers Began Teaching Total Number of New Teachers Percentage Retained Through One Year Percentage Retained Through Two Years Percentage Retained Through Three Years 1999-2000 3,699 75.32% (n=2,786) 61.34% (n=2,269) 57.18% (n=2,115) 2000-20013,04674.23% (n=2,261) 66.05% (n=2,012) 2001-20023,22578.54% (n=2,533)

21. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOLS (2003) 9%Exemplary Growth 15%Recognized Academic Growth 50%Minimal Growth 17%No Growth 9%Schools in Decline DURING 2003....

22. TEACHER SALARY Blue Ribbon Commission’s Goal in 1999-2000 = $35,522 (SREB Average Teacher Salary) $36,878 (Louisiana 2002-2003 Average Teacher Salary – SREB Report) $40,771 (SREB Average Teacher Salary - New) SINCE 1999-2000....

23. ACTIONS NOT ADDRESSED Scholarships for community college students. Teaching bonuses for Teacher Cadets. Placement of new teachers in their areas of certification. State income tax incentive for teachers. New teacher rating of their mentors. District reporting of teacher retention rates. Inclusion of teacher retention in accountability K-12 School and District Accountability System. DURING 1999-2004....

24. ACTIONS NOT ADDRESSED Recruitment and retention strategies for principals. Ongoing professional development for all educators. Pay increases for advanced graduate degrees. Legislative funding for professional development. Full time mentoring and pay increase for mentoring. Advisory committee to align funding recommendations. DURING 1999-2004....

25. BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION YEAR FOUR REPORT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE NOT YET BEEN ADDRESSED.

26. SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION Based upon the data presented today, what new issues should the Blue Ribbon Commission examine that will result in schools having effective teachers and effective educational leaders who help students achieve at higher levels?