For Immediate Release: Aug. 17, 2012 |
| For more information, contact the Dept. of School and Community Relations at 703-228-6004 www.apsva.us |
School Board Updated on Transportation Plan, ESEA Changes
At the Aug. 16 School Board meeting, staff presented an update on the transportation modernization plan being implemented for the 2012-13 school year. Staff stressed that the plan is being implemented to improve quality of services including student safety, customer service, eliminating overcrowded buses and providing on-time service.
Staff discussed the review of bus stop locations, routes to school and route efficiency to ensure that buses will not be overcrowded and to ensure that school officials know which students are on each bus so that families can be notified in the event of a delay or emergency. Staff also noted that a Transportation Call Center and
webpage has been established to assist parents. The Call Center number is 703-228-8670 and is staffed from 6:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Call Center hours will be extended as needed before school starts and throughout September. Bus riders will receive temporary bus passes as part of their notification latter next week until more permanent passes can be provided to student in mid-September.
Elementary and Secondary Education Update
Staff provided the Board with an update on accountability changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) due to the recent waiver granted to Virginia. Changes include:
New federal benchmarks in reading and mathematics testing that emphasize continuous improvement and growth;
New federal reporting groups with differentiated and reasonable benchmarks that support schools to focus support for these subgroups; and
Changes in supports for Title I schools.
These new provisions revise the federal benchmarks, referred to as Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs), to provide reasonable and realistic targets for each student subgroup and eliminate division and school sanctions (i.e., public school choice and supplemental education services for Title I schools failing to meet federal benchmarks). Although public school choice transfers are no longer required, APS students who have previously transferred under this provision can continue at the transfer school through Grade 5. APS continues to offer a wide array of remediation programs before, during, and afterschool for all students at all schools.
School Board FY 2013 Priorities
The School Board reviewed its FY 2013 Priorities which are:
- Student Achievement and Success
- Strategic Planning for Enrollment Growth
- Teacher and Staff Quality
- Evaluation and Accountability
The Board establishes annual priorities to assist in keeping their work focused, effective and aligned with our Strategic Plan goals.
The meeting began with the recognition of AETV producer Darrel Johnson for his work on the video that highlighted the Color of Leadership Conference for middle school boys held last March.
More information on the above items can be found on BoardDocs.
Citizens who want to comment on any of the items discussed at the Aug. 16 School Board meeting should contact the Board at school.board@apsva.us or call 703-228-6015.
Citizens may call 703-228-2400 the Monday after the School Board meetings to hear a meeting summary. School Board meetings are also broadcast live on Comcast Cable Channel 70 and Verizon FiOS Channel 41 and by live streaming on the APS Web site, and re-broadcast on Fridays at 9 p.m. and Mondays at 7:30 p.m. immediately following the meeting. All materials and minutes of the meeting will be posted to the Web site at www.apsva.us/schoolboard upon School Board approval at a subsequent meeting.
