students’ constitutional right to a sound basic education

Students’ Constitutional Right to a Sound Basic Education: New York’s Unfinished Agenda

New York Board of Regents - Research Work GroupThursday, December 15, 2016

Jessica R. WolffDirector of Policy and Research

Joe Rogers, Jr.Director of Public Engagement / Senior Researcher

CampaignforEducationalEquityTeachersCollege,ColumbiaUniversity

WhoWeAre:

TheCampaignforEducationalEquityisanonprofitresearchandpolicycenteratTeachersCollege,ColumbiaUniversity,thatchampionstherightofallchildrentomeaningfuleducationalopportunity.

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CampaignforEducationalEquityTeachersCollege,ColumbiaUniversity

WhatWeDo:

• Worktodefineandsecurethefullrangeofresources,supports,andservicesnecessarytoprovidethisopportunitytounderservedchildren.

• Pursuesystemschangethroughresearch,legalanalysis,policydevelopment,teaching,andpublicengagementtoadvanceeducationalequityatthefederal,state,andlocallevels.

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PresentationMap

• ConstitutionalContext• PriorResearch• NewResearch• Recommendations

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ConstitutionalContextAsdefinedintheNewYorkCourtofAppealsdecisioninCampaignforFiscalEquity(CFE)v.State,theNewYorkStateconstitutionrequiresthestatetoprovideallofitsstudentstheopportunityfora“soundbasiceducation.”Thatmeans“ameaningfulhighschooleducation”thatwillpreparethemto

(1) “functionproductivelyascivicparticipantscapableofvoting[or]servingonajury,”and

(2)“obtaincompetitiveemployment.”

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ConstitutionalContext(cont.)

Essentially...

Soundbasiceducation=Opportunitytomeethigh-schoolgraduationrequirements

InNewYork,high-schoolgraduationrequirements=NewYorkStateLearningStandards

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ConstitutionalContext(cont.)

Accordingtothecourt,eachschoolmusthavesufficientresourcestoprovideall studentsameaningfulopportunityforasoundbasiceducation—i.e.,theresourcestoactuallyallowthemtomeettheNewYorkStateLearningStandards.

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PriorResearch

In-depthcasestudiesof33high-needschoolsineightdistrictsacrossNewYorkState:

• Rural• Suburban• SmallCity• Urban

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ProblemStatement

• Beginningin2008,therecessionstalledtheimplementationoftheCFE remedy,resultinginmajorschool-levelbudgetcutsoverthenextseveralyears.

• Thestatemadenosystematicefforttoassesstheimpactofthosecutsonstudents’accesstoasoundbasiceducation.

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ResearchQuestion

Howhavestatebudgetcutsaffectedstudents’school-levelaccesstosound-based-educationresources?

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ConstitutionallyRequiredResourceAreas

1. Qualifiedteachers,principals,andotherpersonnel

2. Suitable,up-to-datecurricula(includinganexpandedplatformofservicesfor“at-risk”students)

3. AppropriateresourcesforstudentswithdisabilitiesandEnglishlanguagelearners

4. Classsizeandinstructionalgroupings

5. Instrumentalitiesoflearning

6. Safeandorderlyenvironment

7. Adequateandaccessiblefacilities10

Findings(PriorResearch)

• Numerousinadequaciesandinequitiesinstudents’accesstobasiceducationalresources

• Evidenceofneedforstrongerpoliciesto– ensurestudents’accesstothebasiceducationalresourcesguaranteedbystatelawand

– sustainstudents’educationalrightsevenintougheconomicorpoliticaltimes

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OurNewResearch

Students’ConstitutionalRighttoaSoundBasicEducation:NewYorkState’sUnfinishedAgenda

(November2016)

•ARoadmaptoConstitutionalComplianceTenYearsafterCFEv.State

•FillingtheRegulatoryGaps

•UtilizingaConstitutionalCostMethodology

•EnsuringResourceAccountability

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ProblemStatement

• LargenumbersofNewYorkstudentsstilllackfullaccesstofundamentallearningopportunities.

• NewYork’sad-hocsystemofresourceaccountabilityresultsintheperpetuationofresourcedisparities.

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ResearchQuestion

Whatstate-levelpolicychangesandsystemsareneededtomonitorandenforcetheprovisionofconstitutionallyrequirededucationalresources?

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Methodology

• Reviewoftheliteratureoneducationaccountability(e.g.,Darling-Hammondetal.;Oakes;Dawes&Cresswell)

• Analysisofeducation-resource-accountabilitypoliciesandsystemsadoptedbyotherstates(e.g.,MA,AR,NH,CA,VT,KY,MD,OR,WA)

• School-basedresearch

• Analysisofrelevantlegalrequirements,andcurrentNYSpoliciesandregulations

• EveryStudentSucceedsAct(ESSA)16

SafeguardingSoundBasicEducationTaskForce

• AllianceforQualityEducation• AdvocatesforChildrenofNewYork• CenterforArtsEducation• CenterforChildren’sInitiatives• CenterforNewYorkCityAffairs• Chancellor’sParentAdvisoryCouncilofNewYork

City• CitywideCouncilonSpecialEducationofNew

YorkCity• ClassSizeMatters• ExpandEDSchools(formerlyTheAfterSchool

Corporation)• LeagueofWomenVotersofNewYorkState• Mid-HudsonSchoolStudyCouncil• NewYorkCityCitywideCouncilonSpecial

Education

• NewYorkCityChancellor’sParentsAdvisoryCouncil

• NewYorkImmigrationCoalition• NewYorkLawyersinthePublicInterest• NewYorkStateAssociationofSchoolBusiness

Administrators• NewYorkStateCouncilofSchoolSuperintendents• NewYorkStateNetworkforYouthSuccess• NewYorkStatePTA• NewYorkStateRuralSchoolsAssociation• NewYorkStateSchoolBoardsAssociation• NewYorkStateUnitedTeachers• NewYorkersforStudents’EducationalRights• ReformEducationFundingInequitiesToday

(REFIT)

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Findings(NewResearch)

Resourceaccountabilityisavitalpartofaneducationaccountabilitysystemthatprovideseducators,policymakers,andthepublictheinformationneededto

– enforcestudents’educationalrightsand

– supportcontinuousimprovementwithinschoolsanddistricts.

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FiveElementsofResourceAccountability

1. Specificresourcerequirementsforprovidingasoundbasiceducation

2. School-levelself-assessmentofresourceadequacy,andpublic-complaintprocedures

3. Districtandstatemonitoringofschool- anddistrict-levelresourceadequacy

4. Regularcollection,analysis,andreportingofdataontheavailabilityofessentialresourcesattheschoolLevel

5. Improvedenforcementmechanisms19

I.SpecificResourceRequirementsforProvidingaSoundBasicEducation

Problem:InresponsetotheCFEdecision,NewYorkhasnotyetoutlinedtheresourcesthat,atminimum,mustbeavailableineachschooltoprovideallstudentstheopportunitytomeetNYSLearningStandardsandbeontracktocompleteameaningfulhighschooleducationthatpreparesthemforcapablecivicparticipationandcompetitivecareers.

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I.SpecificResourceRequirementsforProvidingaSoundBasicEducation(cont’d)

Recommendations:

• Resourcerequirementsshouldbespecifiedinatleastthesevenaforementionedresourcecategories.

• Reviseregulationsasnecessarytoalignwithconstitutionalrequirements(seeFillingtheRegulatoryGaps).

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II.School-LevelSelf-AssessmentofResourceAdequacy,andPublic-ComplaintProcedures

Problem:Theschoolcommunityisbestpositionedtomonitorschool-levelresourceadequacy.Butparents,students,teachers,andotherstaffmembers

• areoftenunawareofresource-adequacyrequirements;

• lackopportunitiestoparticipateinongoingmonitoringoftheextenttowhichtheirschoolisabletocomplywiththem;and

• lackeasyaccesstonecessaryrelevantdata.

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II.School-LevelSelf-AssessmentofResourceAdequacy,andPublic-ComplaintProcedures(cont’d)

Recommendations:

• Thestateshouldsupplyschool-leadershipteamsorsimilarlyrepresentativeteamswithuser-friendlyadequacymetricsand/orrubrics,relevantdata,andnecessarytrainingtocarryoutaschool-levelresource-adequacyrevieweachyear.

• Thestateshoulddeveloppubliccomplaintproceduresthatallowparents,teachersandotherschoolstaff,students,administrators,andcommunityorganizationswithevidenceofresource-adequacydeficienciestoinformtheschoolprincipalandotherofficials.

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III.DistrictandStateMonitoringofSchool-andDistrict-LevelResourceAdequacy

Problem:Schooldistrictsandthestatelacksystematicandclearlydefinedrolesinmonitoringschool- anddistrict-levelresourceadequacy.

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III.DistrictandStateMonitoringofSchool- andDistrict-LevelResourceAdequacy(cont’d)

Recommendations:

• Thedistrictsuperintendentshouldannuallyconductanauditthatassessestheadequacyofresourcesateachschool.

• TheNewYorkStateEducationDepartmentshouldregularlymonitorschool-levelresourceadequacy.

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IV.Collection,Analysis,andReportingofDataontheAvailabilityofEssentialResources

attheSchoolLevel

Problem:Atthedistrictandstatelevels,therearenumeroussourcesofdatathatrelatetoschool-levelresourceadequacy.However,NewYorkhasnosystemicmechanismforcompilingthesedatasourcesintoinformationtoolsthatcouldmonitorconstitutionalcomplianceandguidestateordistrictdecision-making.

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IV.Collection,Analysis,andReportingofDataontheAvailabilityofEssentialResources

Recommendations

• Thestateshoulddevelopsystemsforcollectingandsharingdataalignedwithsound-basic-educationresource-adequacystandards.

• Thecommissionerofeducationshouldreportannuallytothegovernor,thelegislature,andtheBoardofRegentsontheextenttowhichallschoolsinNewYorkStateareincompliancewiththestateconstitutionandareabletoprovidealloftheirstudentstheopportunityforasoundbasiceducation.

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V.ImprovedEnforcementMechanisms

Problem:Thestatedoesnotadequatelyenforceitsstatutesandregulationstoensurethatstudents,particularlystudentslivinginpoverty,receivetheresourcestowhichtheyareentitled.

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V.ImprovedEnforcementMechanisms

Recommendations:

• Makeenforcementofresourceadequacyineachschooltheexplicitresponsibilityofschool-districtofficials.

• Makeenforcementofdistrict-levelresourceadequacyanexplicitresponsibilityofthestatecommissionerofeducation.

• Revisethe“section310proceeding”tominimizelegal-processrequirementsandallowparentswhosechildrenaremostaffectedbyinequitiestofilesuchcaseseasilyandexpeditiously.

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ContactInformationJessicaWolffwolff@tc.eduJoeRogers,Jr.rogers2@tc.edu

www.equitycampaign.org@EduEquity

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