The Board of Education met yesterday [Monday, June 25] and, among other items, approved the school component of the system of shared accountability, appointed a principal and six other administrators, and recognized participants in MCPS-University Partnerships.

System of Shared Accountability

The Board approved the first phase of the System of Shared Accountability (SSA), which provides school performance measures and targets for assessing student achievement among schools and across the school system.

The accountability system incorporates the state-mandated assessments for elementary and middle schools, with high school measures and other components of the system pending final action this fall. The newly approved measures include the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP), the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS), and the state functional tests.

Individual school targets focus on improved performance on an annual basis. Depending on a school’s previous year’s performance, specific percentage-point gains range from 4 to 0.5 percentage points for the MSPA and CTBS, with the highest gains targeted to the lowest performing schools. Annual targets for the functional tests range from 8 to 1 percentage points.

Appointments

The Board approved the following administrative appointments:

*Dr. George P. Arlotto, currently assistant principal, Wheaton High School, as principal of the school.

*Dr. Michael P. Cohen, currently vice president, Alternatives Unlimited, Baltimore, Maryland, as school performance director, Office of School Performance, for the Blair, Einstein, and Kennedy clusters.

*Pamela L. Garcia, currently acting program supervisor, Pre-K-12 Foreign Language, Office of Instruction and Program Development, as program supervisor.

*Shelly A. N. Johnson, currently instructional facilitator, Business and Computer Management Systems Program, Howard County Public Schools, as coordinator, Information Technology and Business Studies, Office of Instruction and Program Development.

*Carol W. Reed, currently supervisor, Family and Consumer Sciences, Career Development, Prince George's County Public Schools, as coordinator, Career Initiatives and Family and Consumer Sciences, Office of Instruction and Program Development.

*Chrisandra Richardson, currently principal, Georgian Forest Elementary School, as coordinator, Academic Support, Federal and State Programs, Office of Instruction and Program Development.

*Jane Lai Mah Woodburn, currently administrative assistant to the associate superintendent, Office of Student and Community Services, as school performance director, Office of School Performance, for the Blake, Paint Branch, Sherwood, and Springbrook clusters.

MCPS-University Partnerships

The Board presented certificates to representatives of academic institutions that participate in partnerships with the school system to provide opportunities for employees to attain certification and advanced degrees in education.

Board of Education: Mrs. Nancy J. King, president; Mr. Kermit V. Burnett, vice president. Members: Mr. Steve Abrams, Ms. Sharon W. Cox, Mr. Reginald M. Felton, Mr. Walter N. Lange, Mrs. Patricia B. O’Neill, and Mr. Christopher A. Lloyd, student member. Dr. Jerry D. Weast, superintendent and secretary treasurer. Office of the Board: 301-279-3617.