JACKSON SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES TESTING PLAN

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education approved policy changes and a testing plan during a meeting Tuesday night.

The Missouri School Boards Association annually reviews policies for school districts to keep them in compliance with changes in Missouri law. Minor changes in wording were made to most of the 27 proposals reviewed this year.

Dr. Howard Jones, Jackson schools superintendent, said one policy change was significant because it affected the methods of voting during meetings. Previously, board members had to be present during a meeting to voice their opinions and be included in a vote. However, recent legislative changes allow absentee board members to participate in discussion and votes via "contemporaneous telephonic or other electronic" devices.

This means speakerphones or other devices that can be publicly accessed and heard may be used if a school board member cannot attend a meeting but feels strongly about an issue and wants to participate.

"I think we need to keep that to an absolute minimum, but it may be helpful at some point to have that option available," said Jones.

Board members also approved a district testing plan for 1998-99. The district will eliminate all use of the Missouri Mastery and Achievement Test this year. Instead, the district chose to adopt mandatory and voluntary sections of the Missouri Assessment Program for various grade levels. The Terra Nova exam, a standardized testing mechanism that also is incorporated in the MAP performance-based exam, will be used for all grade levels not taking MAP tests.

JACKSON SCHOOL BOARD AGENDA

-- Approved changes to board policies.

-- Approved the 1998-99 district testing plan.

-- Approved an agreement with Gilmore and Bell group to calculate arbitrage rebate for the 1993 bond issue.

-- Executive session -- Employment, personnel evaluation and real estate. Authority is Section 610.021, Para. 2, 3 and 13, Revised Statutes of Missouri, as amended.