Board Action Update
Saint Paul Public Schools
Committee of the Board of Education Meeting
March 23, 2010
In tonight's update:
  • Summer school plans
  • Saint Paul Public Schools academic audit decisions
  • Budget update
  • Board of Education listening session
Summer school plans
 
Board of Education members received information regarding the 2010 summer session, including:
  • The session lasts three weeks, from June 28 - July 20.
  • The session includes 15 elementary schools, three grade K-8 schools, a grade 7-12 school, three middle schools, seven high schools and four other sites.
  • An additional three-week high school credit recovery program at Gordon Parks High School from July 26-August 13
To see a copy of the presentation, visit the Board's website at: http://boe.spps.org/20103.html.

Saint Paul Public Schools academic audit decisions
 
Board members received information about the Leadership and Learning Center Implementation Audit, which focused on 15 of the District's academic initiatives. While the audit found that all initiatives had some positive impact on student achievement, there is a lack of consistent, deep implementation of some initiatives.
 
Based on these findings and using a decision-making process developed with the help of a project team that included a cross-section of staff and faculty, it was determined that the following initiatives will be retained.:

Elementary grade levels
  • AVID 4-6
  • Language Skills Block
  • Everyday Math
  • Writer's Workshop
  • Reader's Workshop
  • Full Option Science System (FOSS)
Secondary grade levels
  • AVID 7-12
  • 7-12 Science
  • Accelerating to Maximum Potential (AMP)
  • Edge
  • Read 180
  • Holt Math
K-12 grades
  • Content-focused coaching
  • Professional Learning Communities
Three initiatives will be eliminated Districtwide. Among these initiatives are:

Elementary
  • Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS)
Secondary
  • Disciplinary Literacy
  • Read 180, Grades 9-10 (Expectations for Read 180 use in special education will be determined at a later date.)
The Superintendent plans to apply the same decision process to other initiatives and their implementation as administration moves toward additional organizational changes this spring.

To see a copy of the presentation, visit the Board's website at: http://boe.spps.org/20103.html.

Budget discussion
 
Board members received a report on preliminary opportunities that will refine how the District will work in the months and years to come. The opportunities outlined followed guiding principles of expanding excellence, increasing access, ensuring equity and addressing needs of all Saint Paul Public Schools students and families. The report's summary of potential budget savings opportunities include a total of $33 million taking into consideration opportunities in:

School programming ($950,000)
Facility usage ($3,500,000)
Transportation ($2,900,000)
Centrally administered programs and services ($12,200,000)
Schools and academics ($9,300,000)
Operations ($1,200,000)
Labor adjustments ($3,000,000)
 
To see a copy of the presentation, visit the Board's website at: http://boe.spps.org/20103.html.
 
Board of Education listening sessions

In addition to Board of Education meetings, members are interested in hearing from staff and community members at upcoming listening sessions:

March 25, 7 p.m.
Prosperity Heights Elementary School Gym
1305 Prosperity Avenue
Saint Paul, MN  55106

May 13, 7 p.m.
Neighborhood House
179 Robie Street East
Saint Paul, MN  55107

This update is a service of the Office of Community Relations of Saint Paul Public Schools. Please direct questions or comments to community.relations@spps.org or by phone to 651-767-8110.