January 5, 2017 at 8:30 AM - Regular Meeting

Discussion: 

Call to order at 8:30.

Staff:  David Ludwig, Deb Hericks, Beth Kabes, Priscilla Quintana, Craig Peterson, Scott Isaacson

Guests:  Joan Wade, AESA Director and Janine Theiler, NDE

Discussion:  Model that supports schools in budget reductions.  Ways to work/communicate with Teachers Asocciation, School Boards association, NCRSA, STANCE, etc so that we can stay connected statewide. 

Discussion:  Janine Theiler, NDE was present to discuss Effective Educators and ESSA.  Nebraska Teacher evaluation model includes:  Effective Practices, Student achievement, professional development, and local factors.  Teacher and Principal Evaluation Trainings will continue emphasis on growth-oriented systems.  This will include:  Principal Framework PSEL Alignment (ISLLC); Website Updates; Superintendent Framework (NCSA); Mini-grants (late January) that is Informed by SDA survey results; ESSA-related funding which is informed by stakeholder feedback.  ESSA outlines a plan on how we are going to use federal funds (Title II) and mini-grants.  All states must ensure that all students have equitable access to effective educators. Those indicators can include: Out-of-field (not appropriately endorsed); Inexperienced (1st year); Ineffective.   Nebraska can define "ineffective" and what data would associate to our definition.  Executive Committee will discuss and come up with beginning process and share at February meeting.

Discussion:  Joan Wade, Executive Director of AESA was present to discuss the redesign on AESA.  AESA brought together a group of stakeholders to work to work through the process for the redesign.  Their five main bold step s are:  1)  Align national and state programs and activities to an annual theme.  2) Design and launch a national advocacy campaign including state networks.  3) Initiate governance reform to assure Council and membership engage and reflect diversity.  4)  Establish affinity groups and documentation process.  5)  Formalize the network of state directors.  There are thirteen states that have Executive Directors for their AEAs, they will be meeting with these Directors on a monthly basis.  Legislative advocacy will be meeting in Washington DC in February to discuss what the legislative issues that we should support as AESA.  Requesting each state to have at least one representative.  President West discussed the possibility of ESUCC going through their own redesign process.  Positive feedback to do our own redesign process.  It is important for AEAs to work along with the NDE.  A Book entitle "No Time to Lose, How to Build a World Class Education System." by NCSL.  This is a good guide to use to work with the State Department of Education (NDE).  The Board would like to have some talking points that they could use in talking with Senators, Governors, etc.  Continue to educate the Legislators on the importance of the work we do for our schools. 

Discussion:  ESU 7 Administrator gave a presentation on the SIMPL (Services Implementation Matrix Process)  Gathering data that shows students are learning what teachers are teaching. Advisory Committee Process:  Data Analysis, Needs Assessment, Prioritization, Impact Assessment.  the begin looking at data the year prior to the services are needed.  Once they have approval, they figure out staffing needs.  They keep an inventory of services, they rate the session, measure the implementation assessment for service/ESU.  They do a cost analysis (savings to school) and then correlate the data to AQuESTT process (accountability).  This allows for good conversations between School, ESU and NDE.  District specifically reports:  services accessed; services of proficient or better; correlation to NE accountability standards; correlation to Advanced Ed.  This helps the schools gather their evidence based services.  Planning, Implementation and Measurements is the order of process.  Steps to take:  Identify data necessary to make the decisions; identify challenges and opportunities; prioritize; generate a Theory of Action; hypothesis impact on student achievement;  determine key services; create service plan per district.  This allows staff to begin planning the services for the following year.  Evaluation implementation levels and participation (use rubric to determine.)  They keep a Professional Development og that they attached power points, or any documentation used for presentations.  This could be log by ESU and NDE as well.  Administrator gives the Board a score card and finally does an annual report which includes partnerships, accountability and market cost analysis (cost per District not Service Unit) and correlate report to those services from NDE.    They will eventually also add the ESU cost as well.  Soon to be added:  fully automated software, full market cost analysis, predicted and suggested evidence based professional development, personalized professional development modules, statewide efficiency date, statewide cost analysis.  Vet this process through the affiliates.  There are 5 ESUs in this pilot process of SIMPL.

Discussion:  Executive Director share his Budget Overview with the Board.  The document will be used to discuss the purposes of ESUCC.  Discuss the need to possibility update Rule 84 and the Core Service Definition.  This document also has some usage data on the statewide projects, will continue to update with more data.  The Innovation Grant would cover six areas that are covered in the MOU we have with NDE.  This document also aligns the Master Service Agreement (MSA) with the work we are doing.  Innovative Grant that was submitted to NDE also aligns the work being done with NDE.  We will know on Friday, January 6, 2017 who was awarded the Innovative Grant.  The Legislative session will be a long session (June).  The Executive Committee met in December to begin discussing these budget scenarios.  As per the committee, the following initial options have been defined:  Plan A:  Continue to receive funding from NDE for collaborative projects;  Plan B:  The ESUCC is awarded the Innovative Grant through NDE; or Plan C:  The ESUCC and NDE determine the Statewide Program of Services and establish a priority for service delivery with funding from NDE or through contracted services. It is important to have the Rule 84 and Core Services discussion to have for future efforts.  

Discussion:  President discussed discussion in committee. Review the project procedures manual to be approved in either February or March.  Needs assessment with KSB, let Executive Director know of topics needed.  Do not schedule during national conferences. 

Discussion:  Executive Director discussed the AESA Federal Advocacy Survey.  Complete at State level and if administrators would send their thoughts to Executive Director.   This will be used to guide the discussions in February. 

Discussion:  President discussed the two-year calendar, please review and give recommendations to the Executive Director. 

Discussion:  Reviewed the draft of the Intellectual Property and Copyright Policy and let Executive director know of concerns.

Discussion:  There was no public comment.

Discussion:  Committee chair reviewed budget reports and committee discussions.

Discussion:  Committee Chair reviewed the November financial statements. 

Discussion:  Committee chair reviewed the December expenses that were paid before Holiday Break.

Discussion:  Committee chair reviewed the December expenses to be paid. 

Discussion:  Committee Chair shared committee discussion.  Training request from NOC has been remanded back to the NOC group for proper vetting.  Reminder for Administrators to review project procedures.  Committee chair and Executive Director will work with NOC to get bylaws in place. 

Discussion:  The Technology Committee discussed the NOC Training requests.  The NOC Committee did not have a formal vote for this training.  Ron Cone said that there should be a focus that are more mission critical to the statewide focus.  Have Technology Director to lead the process and tell the Board what they need to be trained, like Global IMS etc.  There is a process to be followed and need each affiliate to follow that process to bring training forward. 

Discussion:  Committee chair reviewed discussion in committee. 

Discussion:  Coop Director shared the consent items contracts extensions. 

Discussion:  Coop director discussed the annual bid awards. 

Discussion:  Executive Director shared historical data on past admin fees and vendor bidding fees.  This is historical information on what past admin/vendor fees.  Coop Director also shared a vendor tracking spreadsheet that shows vendors over time.  There were nine vendors that did not bid this year.  Over the years there have been about thirty vendors that have dropped from vending.  Several vendors have voiced their concern was the admin fee.  Coop direction also shared a spreadsheet showing the impact of changing the admin fee. 

Discussion: 

Coop Strategic Plan Action Items that came out of the Strategic Plan: - Contract agreement for non-ESU participants. - Describe how Coop does bidding, can be added to language of school board policies to include Coop. - ESUCC will need to change policy on how to advertise for bids to include website advertising. - Need to repeal/rescind old requirement and implement new policy. - Process for verification of entities that ESUCC can serve. Send to attorney for review to determine if legal entity before proceeding with inter-local. - Draft and approve talking points for ESU Administrators to utilize with School and other members. - Review growth of Coop Annually - Create Survey for Schools/Members - Create Survey for Vendors - Create Marketing flyer for Coop - Continue to pursue new contracts - Continue to Market Coop at Conferences.

Interest from other AEPA states wanting to participate in the ESUCC Annual Buy process.

• Annual Buy difference in price markup data.
• Legal Review
• Vendor impact
  • Increase or Decrease in Nebraska school cost?
  • Shipping costs
• State interest (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming)
• Equal Level capabilities
  • Addresses for aggregated ordering can cause issues
  • Begin with option for year round catalog at an increased percentage for named member states

Decision on fees needs to be made by April/May time frame on whether or not to change admin/vendor fees.  Coop Director to make contact with states.  Director can also have discussion with other vendors on their thoughts. 

Discussion:  Coop Director discussed that Staples Advantage was not renewed through AEPA.  We can get deeper discounts if joined through NJPA. 

Discussion:  Coop Director shared that we need to approve the AEPA Conduct of Conduct, Business Ethics, and Disclosure Statement.  This has been reviewed by legal with no concerns.

Discussion:  Committee Chair discussed conversations held in committee.  Reminder that PDO will meet in Kearney, January 18/19 with Jim Knight.  Committee asks that the Administrators review the NDE Vision and Direction document.  Russ Masco will be present at February meetings to discuss the plan with us. 

Discussion:  Executive Director reviewed the NDE Strategic Vision and Direction. Goal 1.4 ties in ESUs and NDE.  This was approved at the NDE Board meeting in December.  He invites everyone to read the NDE plan.  Russ Masco will be present at February Board meeting to review plan. 

Discussion:  Co-Chair reviewed discussion in committee.  Behavioral Health continues to be a discussion with the committee.  Systems of Care grants are new and continued discussion.  Telehealth possibilities for SLP due to shortage.  SRS Director was present to give an update.  Zend1 conversion is complete and testing is being done.  Committee is hoping to receive the PEP Grant with the inclusion of the IEP Facilitation Training.  Project Para is looking for ideas for the conference this next year.  Discussion was held regarding Mental Health services being provided across the state.  Research blended resources:  hospital, clinics, etc.  There will be a statewide conference held on Mental Health with broadcast to ESU 10 and ESU 13.  HHS and Beacon and the coordinators of this conference. 

Discussion:  Committee Chair reviewed discussion held in committee.  There will be various meetings for us to communicate with our Senators to tell our story.  February 23 is the ESU day at Legislator to discuss and share with Senators.  Executive Director shared who will be on on the Education Committee.  Western ESU Administrators will be ging to the Legislator tomorrow. 

Discussion:  There was no public comment.