Questar III, Capital Region BOCES, Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES and Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES introduced plans for a joint BOCES report card measuring 21st Century Skills at a conference in April. The event, which is sponsored by the four BOCES as part of their ongoing regional Call to Action initiative, provided attendees from the different divisions of now seven BOCES with an opportunity to expand their knowledge of 21st century skills, provide input into the joint report card and its performance indicators, and collaborate with colleagues from the same division in other BOCES on issues that are common to their specific division.

Noting that three years ago the four BOCES established an unprecedented partnership to share resources to develop programs that help area students prepare for the educational and employment demands of the 21st century, Baldwin praised the collaborative nature of the partnership, but cautioned that much work remained. "We’ve accomplished much, but I feel we’ve only begun," Baldwin said.

Looking ahead, Baldwin recognized the expansion of the JMT from four to seven BOCES by welcoming officials from Champlain Valley Educational Services, St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES and Franklin- Essex-Hamilton BOCES as a "great opportunity" and pointed to the data collection efforts underway throughout the JMT to produce the collaborative report card.

"It provides a way to quantify what we do and the value we provide to schools, students and taxpayers. It’s all about accountability and value, and we need to demonstrate both," he said.

The joint BOCES report card will be based on state and federal data measures as well as student outcomes found in the Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework (www.21stcenturyskills.org). Some skills that will be measured include creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, and communication and collaboration.

WSWHE BOCES Assistant Superintendent Janie Cornell stressed that the performance indicators presented before the group were "preliminary." Cornell said the day provided an opportunity to "discuss what’s missing and what needs to be changed." The performance indicators will be refined from May-November 2008 as part of an "ongoing process to improve what we’re doing," said HFM BOCES Assistant Superintendent Lorry Hohenforst. Data based on the agreed-upon indicators will be collected May-September 2009 with an anticipated public preview of the new report card in March 2010.

Tracy Gyoerkoe, supervisor of curriculum, instruction, and assessment at the Capital Region Career and Technical School, attended the event. "The JMT conference modeled 21st century skills and a professional learning community," she said. "The opportunity to collaborate with other BOCES regarding issues specific to our divisions in all of our BOCES and learn from one another was invaluable."