I get these regularily and I will try to post them when I remember. There are some interesting topics.
School Board Legislation
The Senate Education and Youth Committee met this morning and passed SB 84 which seeks to better define the roles of school board members. SB 84 would also mandate a code of ethics for local boards and allow for removal of board members. The legislation will now move to the Senate Rules Committee for placement on the Senate Calendar.
Math and Science Differentiated Pay Proposal
Despite PAGE’S efforts, the House Education Committee passed an amended version of HB 280. PAGE previously spoke before a subcommittee considering HB 280 and pointed out that an existing, but unfunded, state law already allows Georgia to differentiate educator pay for critical shortages. PAGE also expressed deep concern that current budget constraints would not allow funding for HB 280 until the 2010-2011 school year. HB 280 is a differentiated pay proposal purporting to attract more math and science teachers to Georgia’s public schools. The legislation would allow high school and middle school teachers who are certified or who become certified in math or science to move up the state salary schedule and be paid as if they had five years of creditable service.
Kindergarten and elementary school teachers who receive endorsements in math and science would receive a stipend of $1,000 per endorsement for each year each such endorsement is in effect, for a maximum of five years. After five years, teachers with these endorsements may continue to receive such stipends if they achieve Master Teacher Certification; if Master Teacher Certification is not obtained or if the certification expires, the teacher would lose the stipend. Math and science endorsements must be post-baccalaureate nondegree programs, independent of an initial preparation program in early childhood education, and the endorsements must consist of a minimum of three courses, of which two courses shall be focused on the advancement of content knowledge and one course, or any additional course, must be focused on content-specific pedagogy and proven strategies for teaching math or science to children in grades k-5. HB 280 will now move to the House Rules Committee for placement on the House Calendar.
Local Systems to Move to Four-Day School Week?
The House Education Committee also passed HB 193 which will move to House Rules.
The legislation would allow local school systems to schedule classes for the hourly equivalent of 180 days, which would enable local systems to decide to move to a four-day school week, if they so chose.
1 comment:
You know, we haven't commented on these, however they are three vital pieces of legislation. In HB 193, the total annual educational experience can be defined in total hours, instead of days, systems could choose to move to a 4 day week. This would certainly save money for schools - but it would wreak havoc on working parents.
Second, HB 280 would pay math and science teachers more money... hmm - could be a good idea - but I'm not sure.
But best of all is SB84 - which looks promising to pass, since it had it's second reading in the Senate - I like it a lot!
Limits the size of school boards
Revises school board per diem and expenses
Prohibits certain conflicts of interest for members
Provides for removal of a member
Revise provisions relating to eligibility for appointment as a school superintendent
Revise provisions relating to training of local board of education members
Given the specialized nature and unique role of membership on a local board of education, this elected office should be characterized and treated differently from other elected offices where the primary duty is independently to represent constituent views. Local board of education members, similar to judges and district attorneys, should abide by a code of conduct and conflict of interest policy modeled for their unique roles and responsibilities. And although there are many measures of the success of a local board of education, one is clearly essential: maintaining accreditation and the opportunities it allows the school system's students." .....
No person who has an immediate family member sitting on a local board of education or serving as the local school superintendent or as a principal, assistant principal, or system administrative staff in the local school system shall be eligible to serve as a member of such local board of education.....
(b)(1) Each local board of education shall have no more than seven members as provided by local Act.
(2) This subsection shall not apply to a local board of education whose board size exceeds seven members as provided by local constitutional amendment or federal court order or pursuant to a local law in effect prior to July 1, 2009; provided, however, that if the local law of any such local board of education is amended to revise the number of members on such board, paragraph (1) of this subsection shall apply.".....
It shall be the duty of the superintendent as secretary to be present at the meetings of the local board, to keep the minutes of its meetings and make a permanent record of them, and to do any other clerical work it may direct the superintendent to do.....
The fundamental role of a local board of education shall be to establish policy for the local school system. The fundamental role of a local school superintendent shall be to implement the policy established by the local board. It shall not be the role of the local board of education or individual members of such board to micromanage the superintendent in executing his or her duties, but it shall be the duty of the local board to hold the local school superintendent accountable in the performance of his or her duties. Local board of education members shall be required to work together with the entire local board of education and shall not have authority as independent elected officials but shall only be authorized to take official action as members of the board as a whole. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to alter, limit, expand, or enlarge any powers, duties, or responsibilities of local boards of education, local board members, or local school superintendents....
No local board of education member or member of his or her immediate family shall have an interest in a business organization or engage in any business, transaction, or professional activity which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his or her duties in the public interest.....
No local board of education member shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges, advantages, or employment for himself or herself, members of his or her immediate family, or others.....
No local board of education member shall act in his or her official capacity in any matter where he or she, a member of his or her immediate family, or a business organization in which he or she has an interest has a direct or material indirect financial interest that might reasonably be expected to impair his or her objectivity or independence of judgment.....
No local board of education member shall undertake any employment or service, whether compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to prejudice his or her independence of judgment in the exercise of his or her official duties.....
No local board of education member, or member of his or her immediate family, or business organization in which he or she has an interest shall solicit or accept any gift, favor, loan, political contribution, service, promise of future employment, or other thing of value based upon an understanding that the gift, favor, loan, contribution, service, promise, or other thing of value was given or offered for the purpose of influencing him or her, directly or indirectly, in the discharge of his or her official duties. This paragraph shall not apply to the solicitation or acceptance of contributions to the campaign of an announced candidate for elective public office if the local board of education member has no knowledge or reason to believe that the campaign contribution, if accepted, was given with the intent to influence the local board of education member in the discharge of his or her official duties.....
No local board of education member shall use, or allow to be used, his or her official position or any information not generally available to the members of the public which he or she receives or acquires in the course of and by reason of his or her official position for the purpose of securing financial gain for himself or herself, any member of his or her immediate family, or any business organization with which he or she is associated.....
Within three months of adoption by the State Board of Education of a training program pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, each local board of education and each governing board of other local units of administration shall adopt a training program for members of such boards that includes, at a minimum, such training program and requirements established by the State Board of Education pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection.
And so much more!
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/fulltext/sb84.htm
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