211-B - Consequences for consistent lack of improvement in academic performance.
§ 211-b. Consequences for consistent lack of improvement in academic performance. In addition to taking appropriate action pursuant to the regulations of the commissioner and the requirements of federal law, the following actions shall be taken to increase school and district accountability for academic performance: 1. The regents shall expand the scope and improve the effectiveness of the schools under registration review (SURR) process in the two thousand seven--two thousand eight school year and thereafter, so as to ensure that all schools that meet the criteria for identification as SURR shall be so identified. The goal of such expansion shall be to identify as SURR up to a total of five percent of the schools in the state within four years, and to reorganize or restructure schools so identified in cases where such action is appropriate. 2. The regents shall develop a plan for increased support and possible intervention in schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring status or in SURR status. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the regents shall establish a two-step process as follows: a. The appointment by the commissioner of a school quality review team to assist any school in school improvement, corrective action, restructuring status or SURR status in developing and implementing a school improvement, corrective action, restructuring, or comprehensive plan for the school. Such team may also conduct resource and program and planning audits and examine the quality of curriculum, instructional plans, and teaching in the schools, the learning opportunities and support services available to students, and the organization and operations of the school. After such review, the team shall provide diagnostic recommendations for school improvement, which may include administrative and operational improvements. The recommendation of such team shall be advisory. The reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of the team's official duties shall be a charge upon the school district, or charter school, where applicable, that operates the school. b. The appointment by the commissioner of a joint school intervention team, for schools in (i) restructuring status or (ii) SURR status that have failed to demonstrate progress as specified in their corrective action plan or comprehensive education plan. Administrators and educators from the district or charter school where applicable must be included on the team, as well as any distinguished educator appointed to the district pursuant to section two hundred eleven-c of this part. Such team shall assist the school district in developing, reviewing and recommending plans for reorganizing or reconfiguring of such schools. The recommendations of such team should be advisory. The reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of the school intervention team's official duties shall be a charge upon the school district, or charter school where applicable, that operates the school. 3. A school district that has been identified as requiring academic progress, as defined by 100.2(p)(7) of the commissioner's regulations, or includes one or more schools under registration review, in need of improvement, in corrective action or restructuring status shall be required to submit a district improvement plan to the commissioner for approval. In formulating the district improvement plan, the district shall consider redirecting resources to programs and activities included in the menu of options under subdivision three of section two hundred eleven-d of this part in the schools so identified. If such options are not adopted in the district improvement plan, the school district shall provide the commissioner with an explanation of such decision which shall be considered by the commissioner in determining whether toapprove such plan. The trustees or board of education shall hold a public hearing before adoption of the district improvement plan and a transcript of the testimony at such hearing shall be submitted to the commissioner for review with the district improvement plan. 4. The commissioner shall develop a plan for intervention in schools under restructuring or SURR status that fail to demonstrate progress on established performance measures and may be targeted for closure. Such plan shall specify criteria for school closure and include processes to be followed, research based options, and alternatives and strategies to reorganizing, restructuring or reconfiguring schools. Such plan shall be developed with input from educators including, but not limited to, administrators, teachers and individuals identified as distinguished educators pursuant to section two hundred eleven-c of this part. 5. (a) The regents shall ensure that all school districts include in any contract of employment, entered into, amended, or extended with a superintendent of schools, community superintendent or deputy, assistant, associate or other superintendent of schools who has been or will be appointed for a fixed term, a provision requiring that such contract specify that the superintendent shall be required to cooperate fully with any distinguished educator appointed by the commissioner pursuant to section two hundred eleven-c of this part. (b) In the case of a superintendent of schools, community superintendent or deputy, assistant, associate or other superintendent of schools who is not appointed for a fixed term, the contract provisions contained in paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall be deemed to apply to such superintendent immediately. (c) In the case of a charter school, the contract of employment of the principal or headmaster or other chief school officer of the charter school that is entered into, amended or extended shall also be required to include the provisions contained in paragraph (a) of this subdivision. In addition, such contract provisions shall be deemed to apply immediately to any such person not appointed for a fixed term.