Let's see what our legislators are up to regarding education.
Have you read SB 90 lately? Check it out - here's the overview:
"A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to provide the option for parents to enroll their child in another school within the local school system, a school in another local school system, or in a private school under certain conditions; to provide for definitions; to provide for the amount of scholarship and method of payments; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for limited liability; to provide for an annual report on the program; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes."
To simplify, this law would provide scholarships for current public school students to attend any school in the state, public or private.
STATUS: Recommitted to Senate Education and Youth Committee on 1/11/10
Another education-related bill to watch is HB 908 which reads, "To amend Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to temporarily suspend certain laws and requirements relating to expenditure controls, minimum direct classroom expenditures, maximum class size, additional days of instruction, and salary schedules; to provide for statutory construction; to provide for automatic repeal of such suspension; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
And, SB 307 provides a "teacher's bill of rights" of sorts. The overview states, "A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to enact a bill of rights for Georgia teachers; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes."
STATUS: Recommitted to Senate Education and Youth Committee on 1/11/10
Another education-related bill to watch is HB 908 which reads, "To amend Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to temporarily suspend certain laws and requirements relating to expenditure controls, minimum direct classroom expenditures, maximum class size, additional days of instruction, and salary schedules; to provide for statutory construction; to provide for automatic repeal of such suspension; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
And, SB 307 provides a "teacher's bill of rights" of sorts. The overview states, "A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to enact a bill of rights for Georgia teachers; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes."
STATUS: Read second time by the House and referred to the House Education Committee on 1/13/10.
==========
Let's keep an eye on these bills as they progress through this legislative session.
The legislature are also looking to re-visit the section of the Ed. bill which does not allow school board members to be related to administration. They are looking at taking this section out of the bill.
ReplyDeleteI just want you all to click on the link in this article to SB 90 and read it. The way I read it, students can apply for a transfer across districts - anywhere in the state - and the state will pick up the costs - the state and local portions. The schools have to accept the students - but otherwise it seems to be a fairly straightforward process. IMO - this is a really big step!
ReplyDeleteLEGISLATIVE UPDATE:
ReplyDeleteFrom the Center for an Educated Georgia
Legislative News
While the legislature meet on the floor, Week 2 was by no means without action. This week was "Budget Week," when the Governor presents his budget proposals for both the remainder of the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year. The House Appropriations Committee then held budget briefings -- hearings that featured the heads of state agencies and executive departments, including the Department of Education.
During the legislative session, lawmakers actually work on two budgets, one for the remaining months of the current fiscal year (called the amended budget) and one for the next fiscal year.
The amended budget is passed to ensure that the current fiscal year ends with a balanced budget. In the case of the current fiscal year, Fiscal Year 2010, many appropriations, including those for education, will have to be cut to compensate for the current budget shortfall without raising taxes. Included in the cuts to education proposed by Governor Perdue are additional three furlough days for teachers, cuts to state funding of central office administration, and other reductions. Overall, K-12 education must be cut by 3 percent to help balance the budget while other agencies must cut 8 to 9 percent.
The Governor's proposed budget for the next fiscal year that begins on July 1 (Fiscal Year 2011), would allocate almost $200 million more for K-12 education than in Fiscal Year 2010. However, it does request that QBE, the state education funding formula, be temporarily reduced. At this point, teacher furlough days appear to be off the table as a cost-cutting move.
You can find information about the budget process and copies of the latest budget documents on the House Budget Office's website. Especially useful are the budget tracking documents for Amended FY 2010 and FY 2011.
DeKalb's shenanigans have created so much news buzz that legislators from other areas of Georgia are now introducing legislation specifically citing DeKalb's lack of ethics --
ReplyDeleteRynders introduces furlough legislation
After DeKalb County Superintendent Crawford Lewis recently was voted a $15,000 pay raise by the system’s school board, other school system employees protested the move when they were required to take a furlough day.
State Rep. Ed Rynders, R-Leesburg, authored a bill late Tuesday afternoon that would halt such practices. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Lewis' annual salary was increased to $255,000 by the DeKalb County School Board.
House Bill 977 states: “If any local board of education furloughs teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, support staff, or other non-administrative positions during any school year, such local board of education shall not use any state funds to provide a salary increase for the local school superintendent or administrators during such school year.”
The bill also includes language that would force school boards that try to bypass state funds to give an administrator or superintendent a pay raise to explain the rationale with a public hearing for community input. They would also have to give seven days’ notice of the public forum as a legal notice in a local newspaper or publication.
Co-authors on House Bill 977 include state Reps. Edward Lindsey, R-Atlanta; Fran Millar, R-Dunwoody; Amy Carter, D-Valdosta, and a school teacher, and Jay Powell, R-Camilla. Lindsey is the majority whip and the former chairman of education appropriations. Millar is vice chairman of education.
“We wanted to send a clear message that you shouldn’t be furloughing people on one end, while giving others pay raises,” Rynders said in a phone call Tuesday from Atlanta. “To me, that defies common sense. I want to protect the people that are in the trenches.”
Hear! Hear!
DeKalb Delegation member Fran Millar is a co-sponsor. The DeKalb Delegation may be our only saving grace when it comes to getting the school board to come back to sanity.
ReplyDeleteThe Board of Education and Crawford Lewis are going to make this the last county anyone wants to buy a house in.
This just in from Mike Jacobs -
ReplyDeletePages Needed for 2010 Legislative Session
The 2010 legislative session has begun and will run through March or April. Each year, I have ten (10) school-age children from House District 80 serve as pages for a day during the legislative session. Pages get to see the legislative process first-hand, receive an excused absence from school, have their photograph taken with their legislator and the Speaker of the House, and are provided lunch.
If your child would like to serve as a legislative page, please e-mail me at repjacobs@comcast.net and include in your e-mail message a telephone number where you can be reached. The ten spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis and are only available to residents of House District 80. Please click here to view a map to determine whether you live in House District 80.
http://repjacobs.com/2010/01/25/pages-needed-for-2010-legislative-session/
You may want to ask your child if he or she would like to serve as a page. It's a great life experience!
Contact Mike if you live in his district - or contact your own rep to see if they need pages too.
Legislation to Watch -(from the GA PTA)
ReplyDeleteEvery week we will report on new legislation and the status of existing legislation critical to you. Legislation passed at the Capitol will have a big impact on your child, your school, your community and you. If PTA has an official position it will be shown next to the bill number. Please note, if PTA has an established position, a local unit cannot take an opposing position.
HB 615: Would allow concealed guns to be carried in schools, churches, bars, public buildings and at sporting events. The only place they would not be allowed is courtrooms and prisons/jails and those places barred by federal law. OPPOSE - PLEASE call your legislator and tell them guns don’t belong in schools.
HB 927: Anti-bullying: Expands the definition of ‘bullying’ to include electronic bullying that physically harms a person or damages the property of another, has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s education, creates an intimidating or threatening education environment, or substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the school. DOE is required to develop a model policy and make it available on the department’s web site for use by local school systems. SUPPORT
HB 995 and HB 1097: Establishes a school calendar start date not before Sept. 1 (HB 995) or the third Monday in August (HB 1097). This removes the local board of education’s ability to set the date that best meets the needs and wishes of the local community. OPPOSE
HB 1130: Class sizes may be increased until 2013: K-5 can be exceeded by one student; 6-12 can be exceeded by two students; State Board of Education may authorize up to one additional student per class upon requests by a local school board.
SB 304: Children under the age of 16 cannot be prosecuted for prostitution. Children under age 16 cannot consent to sex; but currently they can be prosecuted for prostitution. Bill is part of an effort to curb sexual abuse of minors. SUPPORT
SB 319: Allows funds allocated for textbooks to be used for digital media and other forms of new technology. Passed Senate
SB 327: Offenses of driving using a cell phone and driving while texting are established with point penalties on the drivers license. There are multiple bills addressing use of cell phones and texting while driving currently under consideration including HB 23, HB 944 and HB 945.
SB 352: Requires the state Board of Education to include a growth model in the calculation of Adequate Yearly Progress, and for grades to be given to school of A, B, C, D, and F. The grades of the students on the tests must be scaled so that no more than 20% get an A (and those schools receiving an A get a bonus – subject to funding). Gets rid of the Georgia High School Graduation Test and replaces it with End of Course Tests beginning in the 2013-14 year.
SB 361: Another VOUCHER bill: Adds 504 students, foster care students and students from a military family on active duty or in the national guard or reserves to those who can participate in the special needs voucher, renamed the Georgia Early HOPE Scholarship Act, to attend a private school. The 504 students must have a 504 plan (named after the federal code section in the 1973 bill which authorized it), and all the students must be enrolled in public school for the immediately prior year. As with special needs scholarships, the student is entitled to the voucher until graduation or a return to public school. Vouchers must include not only the amount within the QBE formula for that student but a proportional share of state categorical grants, non QBE state grants, equalization grants and the student’s share of transportation, food services, and building programs. The required formula stipulates that the voucher student will get a share of all of these grants even if the student were not eligible to receive any benefit if enrollment in the public school were continued. PTA OPPOSES any voucher, tax credit, or tax deduction that siphons public money to private schools.
ReplyDeleteSR 886: Urges Congress and state agencies to increase nutritional quality and options to students through school meals. SUPPORT
Key: HR- House Resolution, HB – House Bill, SR– Senate Resolution, SB– Senate Bill
Don’t forget to sign up for PTA Day at the Capitol on Feb. 23. If you want to know what's going on at the Capitol, want to hear the latest news, want to have a chance to talk to your legislators in person, don't miss this opportunity. Go to the GA PTA website for the registration form and more information. www.georgiapta.org New this year, PTSA Day at the Capitol (Mar. 4), designed to introduce students to the laws and bills that effect them. Sign your students up for this event today.
Karen Hallacy
GA PTA
2nd Vice President
This is today's update from The Center for An Educated Georgia
ReplyDeleteLegislative News
The week's big education story broke on Wednesday as the Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) released a report showing that last Spring's CRCT cheating scandal is much more widespread than originally thought. According to the GOSA report, 20% of elementary and middle schools in Georgia are under suspicion of erasing incorrect from student's test and filling in correct answers on the CRCT.
As a result, House Bill 1121 was introduced this week as a response to a recent report showing that a significant number of classrooms were flagged as having an irregular (meaning "unusually high") number of erasure marks on the 2009 CRCT exams. The bill would make it unlawful for anyone to knowingly and willfully allow examinees to view test questions prior to or after administration of the test, copy or reproduce any portion or all of the secured test booklet, guide examinees to correct answers that they may not have known on their own or alter or interfere with examinees' answers in any way, make answer keys available, fail to follow proper test security protocol, or be connected to or fail to report any of of the above.
Visit GOSA's website for more information about the CRCT cheating report.
Also, House Bill 966 was introduced and heard in the House Education Academic Support subcommittee this week. The bill would prevent schools from including mobile classrooms as "permanent classroom space." This would further limit the number of seats available to students seeking transfers under HB 251,Georgia's intra-district public school transfer law passed just last year. Some parents are concerned that this change in the law would limit the amount of choice they have in their child's school.
Teachers - you may want to print out this handy little guide as to how a bill becomes a law created by the GA General Assembly.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/senate/publications/habbal.pdf
Bills to Watch
ReplyDeleteSB 90
Sen. Eric Johnson
Would provide scholarships for current public school students to attend any school in the state, public or private
Recommitted to Senate Education and Youth Committee on 1/11/10
SB 137
Sen. Ed Harbison
Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children -- would remove possible barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of frequent moves and parental deployment through record sharing, attendence policy changes, etc.
Recommitted to Senate Education and Youth Committee on 1/11/10
SB 301
Sen. Lester Jackson
Would raise the mandatory age of education from 16 to 17.
Pre-filed on 12/8/09. Has not be assigned to committee
SB 320
Sen. Judson Hill
Would provide for a "Teacher's Bill of Rights."
Read and referred to Senate Education and Youth Committee on 1/26/10
SB 352
Sen. Tommie Williams
Would require the State Board of Education to include a growth model as a primary factor in calculating Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP); Would establish a system for grading schools and associated bonuses/consequences. Would also eliminate CRCT for 1st and 2nd grades and Georgia High School Graduation Tests.
Read and referred to Senate Education and Youth Committee on 2/3/10
SB 361
Sen. Chip Rogers
Would establish the Early HOPE Scholarship program for K-12 students to transfer to a public or private school of their parents' choice. Program would absorb the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship and expand eligibility to foster children, Section 504 students, and children in military families.
Read and referred to Senate Education and Youth Committee on 2/4/10
SB 386
Sen. Don Balfour
Would establish an alternative, performance-based salary schedule for all new teachers and for current teachers to opt into.
Read and referred to Senate Education and Youth Committee on 2/8/10
HB 908
Rep. David Casas
Regarding public school systems, this bill would temporarily suspend laws are requirement relating to expenditure controls, minimun classroom expenditures, maximum class size, additional days of instruction, and salary schedules.
Passed by the House on 2/9/10. Read and referred to Senate Education and Youth Committee on 2/10/10
HB 927
Rep. Mike Jacobs
Would expand the definition of "bullying" and allow student victims of bullying to be reassigned to another school to separate the victim from the bully. Additionally, it would require the Department of Education to develop a model policy on bullying.
Reported favorably (by substitute) by House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee on 2/10/10
HB 966
Rep. Fran Millar
Provides that permanent classroom space shall not include temporary buildings, portable units, or trailers for purposes of intradistrict transfers between schools.
Read second time by the House and referred to the House Education Committee on 1/27/10
HB 1031
Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver
Would require new residents in a school system to register child within 30 days; failure to make certain reports & failure to enroll the child a misdemeanor against such persons.
Read second time by the House and referred to the House Education Committee on 2/2/10
HB 1064
Rep. Mickey Stephens
Would raise the mandatory age of elementary and secondary education from 16 years old to 17 years old.
Read second time by the House and referred to the House Education Committee on 2/4/10
HB 1100
Rep. David Casas
Would require the State Board of Education to include a growth model as a primary factor in calculating Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP); Would establish a system for grading schools and associated bonuses/consequences. Would also eliminate CRCT for 1st and 2nd grades and Georgia High School Graduation Tests. Read second time by House and referred to the House Education Committee on 2/8/10
Another new and very progressive resolution to follow concerns military recruitment of our children in our schools - Sponsored by Stephanie Benfield and others, the description from the Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition follows -
ReplyDeleteThe American Friends Service Committee, The American Civil Liberties Union, The Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition, along with a broad coalition across the state of Georgia are trying to tackle the very important issue of Truth in Military recruitment. Together, with the help of Senator Nan Orrock and House Representative Stephanie Stuckey Benfield, we have introduced a resolution supporting the rights of the child in the Georgia house and senate. This resolution urges the Georgia Department of Education and Georgia schools to safeguard the rights of children under the age of 17 from military recruitment and to implement basic safeguards for recruitment of 17 year-olds. We see this as a step in the right direction because increased pressure to recruit during wartime has led to abusive military recruitment which we do not see fit for the youth of Georgia .
Click here for the full text of the resolution.
This historic resolution is the first of its kind in the nation and will set precedence for the rest of the country if passed. This resolution has already gotten national attention and organizations from over half a dozen other states are already looking at introducing similar legislation.
The fire-starter for the conception of this bill certainly was our own school system's attempt to start a military academy within our public school system. If you thought that issue had gone away - well, you were wrong. This continues to be an extremely emotionally-charged debate.
I'm admittedly outdated on many subjects; this may be one of them. But if it is still true that NCLB has its own special provisions for heavy military recruiting in schools, how will this legislation cure that?
ReplyDeleteOh sure, there's the form that kids are supposed to bring home to parents to 'opt out' of military recruiting. Uh, sure makes me feel more comfortable. Form doesn't get in the packet of paperwork, doesn't get home to parent at all, and it's titled something complicated so that many bright parents don't even know what it is. Finally, it's flat-out ignored if signed.
All provided for under NCLB. Military recruiters have more access to our schools than parents and even school board members. Whether or not you want your child recruited in the schools, they come in, buy cheese fries for lunch and sit at the table, where the kids gawk at the uniforms and hear exploits and glamour. When the recruiters become so emboldened as to come to your home unannounced and you tell them that you signed the opt-out form, they inform you that they know nothing of the form and they have the RIGHT to come to the school and your home. When you stand in your driveway and insist that you signed the form, they tell you that YOU have to provide the proof that you did, because the kid's name is on their list.
Sound like a true story? It is. Personal to me and my son? It is. In a DeKalb County high school? It was. Amazing, all the things we don't know when our kids are in school. And all federally provided for. Oh -- and when I consulted the former superintendent about this practice, here's the response: "Y'know, we have to let Uncle Sam in..."
Yowsa. What a story, Anon. I guess the moral of the story is - make a copy of that "opt out" form.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, as far as this resolution goes - state's rights still have some power.
Feb 19-Fri
ReplyDeleteState Of School System Address by Dr. Crawford Lewis
7:30am - 9:00am
Oglethorpe Power Corporation -2100 East Exchange Place - Tucker, GA 30085
RSVP to attend to sara_neeley@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
SB 361, which would create the Early HOPE Scholarship for special needs, military, and foster children, was passed by the Senate Education and Youth Committee Thursday by a 5-2 vote.
ReplyDeletesb361:
Renames the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship for elementary, middle, and high school students with special needs the "Georgia Early HOPE Scholarship"
Expands eligibility for a scholarship to:
Section 504 students—section 504 disabilities substantially limit major life activity, but may not directly affect learning. Examples include students in a wheelchair, students with a chronic illness, students with a heart condition, etc.
Children who are or who have been in foster car
Children with a parent currently in the military, reserves, or national guard
Increases substantially notification to parents about the scholarship program
Requires public schools to notify parents in January and April via letter, electronic means, and automated telephone calls (if the school system uses the latter) about the program using a specific message
Still requires notification at IEP meetings as well, but also adds 504 meetings
Early Hope Scholarships also allow students to attend:
Another public school of the parents’ choice within their school system, if that public school has available classroom space.
A public school in another school system, solely at the discretion of the receiving school system
A participating private school
Allows students to enroll at 4 different times during the school year
Clarifies existing law to say that only special education teachers need to have a bachelor’s degree and 3 years of experience
Scholarship amounts include the amount equal to the cost of the educational program that would have been provided by the state (QBE funding), plus a proportional share of funds
For special needs students, the average Georgia Special Needs Scholarship was $6,331 in 2008-09. The Early Hope Scholarship would increase the average to about $9,800.
For military and foster students who do NOT have special needs, Early Hope Scholarships will range from $5,000 to $9,000. The amounts differ based on school grade and school system.
Establishes payment deadlines for the Department of Education when issuing scholarship payments to participating schools.
From GA PTA:
ReplyDeleteAdvocacy Days at the Capitol
On Feb. 23, PTA conducted its annual PTA Day at the Capitol on Feb. 23rd. Attendees heard a recap of critical bills at the state and federal level, learned about election year opportunities and limits, and gained an understanding of GA PTAs’ positions and priorities. Despite the recess, numerous legislators joined us at lunch to hear about the issues important to PTA members. Thank you to all who attended!
Another advocacy opportunity is around the corner as students are invited to participate in PTSA Day at the Capitol on Mar. 4. They will have the opportunity to learn about the laws that directly affect them and hear from other students about the major issues being discussed under the Gold Dome. To sign up, go to the GA PTA website:
www.georgiapta.org
More from GA PTA:
ReplyDeleteLegislation to Watch
Every week we will report on legislation that we believe is critical to you. With very few committee hearings outside of Appropriations being conducted over this two week recess, not much legislation is moving. Legislation passed at the Capitol will have a big impact on your child, your school, your community and you. If PTA has an official position it will be shown next to the bill number. Please note, if PTA has an established position, a local unit cannot take an opposing position.
SB 361: Another VOUCHER bill: Adds 504 students, foster care students and students from a military family on active duty or in the national guard or reserves to those who can participate in the special needs voucher, renamed the Georgia Early HOPE Scholarship Act, to attend a private school. The 504 students must have a 504 plan (named after the federal code section in the 1973 bill which authorized it), and all the students must be enrolled in public school for the immediately prior year. As with special needs scholarships, the student is entitled to the voucher until graduation or a return to public school. Vouchers must include not only the amount within the QBE formula for that student but a proportional share of state categorical grants, non QBE state grants, equalization grants and the student’s share of transportation, food services, and building programs. The required formula stipulates that the voucher student will get a share of all of these grants even if the student was not eligible to receive any benefit if enrollment in the public school was continued. PTA OPPOSES any voucher, tax credit, or tax deduction that siphons public money to private schools. Received a Do Pass in Committee and heading to the Senate Floor
Key: HR- House Resolution, HB – House Bill, SR– Senate Resolution, SB– Senate Bill
(Personally, I disagree with PTA here. Until you are in the position of having a child who falls in the cracks, you do not know the sad and desperate feeling a parent can experience from not being able to get their child's educational needs met. This bill allows parents in special circumstances the gift of flexibility - sometimes private schools just plain serve these children better. In these cases, private schools shouldn't be accessible only to those who can afford the high costs of tuition. No one should have to pay taxes and then get less than their share for their child in return.)
Bill raising class sizes passes in Ga. OK'd
ReplyDeleteATLANTA (AP) - A bill giving Georgia school districts more flexibility amid the state's fiscal crisis has passed a key committee.
Bill requires conferences for failing students
ATLANTA (AP) - New legislation would mandate parent-teacher conferences when a student receives a failing grade on two consecutive report cards.
Isn't it interesting that these two bills passed simultaneously?
More on class size -- brace yourselves!
ATLANTA AP A bill giving Georgia school districts more flexibility amid the states fiscal crisis has passed a key committee. The legislation allows districts to increase class size by one student in kindergarten through fifth-grade and by two students in sixth-grade through high school through 2013. It also lifts state controls on how schools spend their funding such as how much is spent on libraries or transportation...
The bill that requires conferences for failing students is especially interesting in light of the fact that if DCSS furloughs teachers, one of the furlough "days" will include the 4 parent/teacher conference evenings that teachers are required to attend.
ReplyDeleteMove On When Ready
ReplyDeleteMove on When Ready (a Georgia Dept. of Education program) provides opportunities for high school juniors and seniors to enroll full-time in postsecondary institutions to earn both high school and college credits simultaneously. Students are eligible to participate in Move on When Ready if they are entering 11th or 12th grade, as determined by the system, and spent the prior school year in attendance at a public high school in Georgia. For more information on this program, visit this page at the GA DOE web site.
Institutions eligible to participate in Move on When Ready include: a unit of the University System of Georgia, a branch of the Technical College System of Georgia, a private independent nonprofit postsecondary institution eligible for tuition equalization grants, or a private proprietary postsecondary institution eligible for tuition equalization grants.
For more information on 2010-2011 participation in this program, please contact your school's Counseling Office.
Georgia PTA’s weekly update on legislative activity – Mar. 28, 2010
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the weekly reporting of legislative activity for the 2010 session. The General Assembly reached Crossover Day, the 30th day, on Mar. 25th. Any bill that did not passed out of one chamber to the other is now considered dead for the rest of the legislative session. The language of a bill may still be appended to another bill (as long as it pertains to the same area of Georgia Code) so it will be very important to watch for substitute language now as bills move. This recap will highlight the bills that crossed over and some of the ones that did not. This week the House Appropriation committees will be meeting briefly for a final look at the FY 11 budget before it is brought to a vote. It is anticipated that the vote will be this week so the Senate can get started on their deliberations. There are only 10 days left in the session.
Common Core State Standard Initiative (CCSSI)
The draft of the Common Core Standards is still open for review and comment. GA PTA urges its members, especially the teachers who are familiar with GA’s current curriculum, to review the standards and weigh in with their comments and suggestions. It is your input that will help shape those standards as they move towards finalization and adoption. GA PTA supports this voluntary state initiative and encourages its members to read more about it. Public comment will be accepted until April 2. Please forward this information to other parents and to the teachers in your school so they, too, can learn more about this initiative. The standards can be found at www.corestandards.org.
Legislation to Watch
ReplyDeleteEvery week we will report on legislation that we believe is critical to you. Please note, if PTA has an established position, a local unit cannot take an opposing position.
Bills That Passed Over:
SB 308: Concealed guns permitted in bars, public buildings, sporting events, churches and college campus except within 1000 feet of dorms. The bill prohibits guns only from K-12 schools, government buildings, jails, prisons, and mental institutions. Private property owners may determine if guns are allowed on their property. Shifts issuance of weapons permits to the Secretary of State rather than the local probate judge. Current law forbids guns at school functions and within the 1000 ft school safety zone around a school.
SB 299: A student accused of a weapons violation must have a hearing before being detained. Doesn’t give schools more flexibility but allows judge to look at intent instead of just applying zero tolerance.
SB 515: LBOE could not furlough educators until they had reduced any unencumbered reserve as of September 1 to 6% or less of the general fund budget. 'Unencumbered’ means that which is left over after all contractual obligations, include those of educator contracts, are provided for.
HR 1203: CA, and the enabling legislation, to expand the Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) to be used for educational annual budgets (instead of just Capitol projects as it is now) with equivalent tax millage reduction. This purpose and the expected amount to be applied would be on the project list with all other projects.
SB 496: Creates a new HOPE college opportunity grant for students from low income families if money appropriated from the lottery. Has all the requirements of the current HOPE scholarship except for the B average. About 97% of those receiving PELL grants have family incomes of less than $40,000; 80% have family incomes of less than $30,000. GA Student Finance Commission will administer the program, and use the PELL grant process as a basis for evaluating students. As with the other HOPE, students must be a graduate from a GA high school and a legal resident for 12 months, or if not a graduate from a GA high school, they must be a resident for 24 months.
HB 938: No use of wireless communication while operating a vehicle, except for communications with emergency responders. Citizens band radios, citizens band radio hybrids, commercial two-way radio devices, subscription-based emergency communications, in-vehicle security, navigation, and remote diagnostics systems or amateur or ham radio devices are excluded from this prohibition. Drivers license will be suspended if accident caused by driver on the first offense for 90 days or until age 18, whichever occurs first; on the second offense, 6 months or until age 18. Fines are between $50 and $100, double if the operator caused an accident. Restoration of the drivers license will be $60. Those under age 18 also get 2 points on the drivers license
SB 458: Safety belts must be used in all passenger vehicles including pickups for drivers under age 18, and for older drivers if pickups driven on public roads.
HB 1200: Local school boards can solicit and accept donations for field trips and any other educational purpose.
Bills That Did Not Pass:
ReplyDeleteHB 927: Anti-bullying: Expands the definition of ‘bullying’ to include electronic bullying that physically harms a person or damages the property of another, has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s education, creates an intimidating or threatening education environment, or substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the school. DOE is required to develop a model policy and make it available on the department’s web site for use by local school systems.
SB 319, Money appropriated for 'textbooks’ can also be used to purchase computer hardware and software.
HB 281: Students enrolled in a charter school within the school district in grades 6-12 shall be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities of the traditional public school to which each would otherwise be enrolled.
HB 1121 Tampering with state test answer sheets shall be a misdemeanor such as copy a test booklet, make answer keys available, give inappropriate guidance to students taking the test. Superintendents and principals are included if they fail to follow testing procedures established by the state.
HB 39: Increase the tax on cigarettes by $1/pack. Would raise $355 M for the general budget.
HR 1: Freeze property taxes at current level until house sold. Similar to California’s Proposition 13.
Key: HR- House Resolution, HB – House Bill, SR– Senate Resolution, SB– Senate Bill
CA – Constitutional Amendment
Karen Hallacy
GA PTA
2nd Vice President
Crossover report from The Center for an Educated Georgia
ReplyDeleteLegislative News
"Crossover Day"' the final day that legislation can be passed from one chamber to another, came and went on Friday, March 26 (one day later than reported last week). In a year beset by budget issues, very few education bills remain alive for the final ten days of the legislative session.
Among the notable bills that "crossed over" by last Friday are:
HB 908, sponsored by Rep. David Casas, would temporarily waive certain Title XX provisions such as expenditure controls, maximum class size, and instructional days. The bill is designed to provide more flexibility to the local school boards in using the funding connected to these areas in helping to balance their budget.
SB 299, sponsored by Sen. Emanuel Jones, would give school administrators more discretion in 'zero tolerance' discipline cases and prohibit pre-trial detention of students suspected of violating 'zero tolerance.'
SB 515, sponsored by Sen. Preston Smith, would enact the "Educator's Salary Protection Act" which would prohibit school boards from furloughing teachers when they have an excess of six percent of unencumbered funds in reserves.
Notable bills that did not "crossover" include:
HB 966, sponsored by Rep. Fran Millar, would have changed the definition of "space available" under HB 251 (intra-district school transfers) to not allow temporary buildings (trailers, portables, etc.) to be counted as available space for the purpose of accepting transfer students under HB 251.
HB 1100, sponsored by Rep. David Casas, would have eliminated the Georgia High School Graduation test and CRCT testing for 1st and 2nd grade. The bill would have also established a study committee to determine the best way, if any, to develop a system of testing that is vertically aligned from 3rd through 12th grades.
SB 352, sponsored by Sen. Tommie Williams, would have established assigned letter grades to schools based on academic performance from designated tests that measure a student's growth from year to year.
SB 361, sponsored by Sen. Chip Rogers, would have expanded the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship to include military, foster, and section 504 children. If enacted, the name of the program would have been changed to the 'Early HOPE Scholarship.'
SB 386, sponsored by Sen. Don Balfour, would have established an alternative performance based salary schedule for all new teachers and current teachers who opt-in to the program. Performance would have been based on various elements of student achievement and peer review.
Coming Up
This week, the legislature is scheduled to convene Tuesday through Thursday, legislative days 31-33. Legislators will be in recess the week of April 5th. A calendar has not yet been set for the remainder of the session.
Thanks for trying Fran!
ReplyDeleteHB 966, sponsored by Rep. Fran Millar, would have changed the definition of "space available" under HB 251 (intra-district school transfers) to not allow temporary buildings (trailers, portables, etc.) to be counted as available space for the purpose of accepting transfer students under HB 251.
(Didn't cross)
I guess there will be no limit as to the number of transfers Lakeside will continue to take on. We're at 21 trailers now - how many more can we add? (People forget though - these trailers don't come with restrooms.)
Georgia PTA’s weekly update on legislative activity – April. 18, 2010
ReplyDeleteOnly four days left in this legislative session and legislation is moving very fast. Bills are being amended as they fly back and forth between the two chambers so it has been critical to have observers in both chambers to monitor how a bill changes as it is passed. The language of a bill may still be appended to another bill (as long as it pertains to the same area of Georgia Code) so it is very important to watch for substitute language now as bills move. The legislature will meet on Tuesday, April 20 and Wednesday, April 21 for two of the final days. If you’re interested, join us at the Capitol to see the legislature in session and see what happens to the bills in committee hearings.
Common Core State Standard Initiative (CCSS)
Thank you to all of you, especially our teachers, who reviewed the draft of the Common Core State Standards and provided feedback. They received almost 10,000 comments nationwide on the draft and are working to incorporate those comments and suggestions before a final version is completed. The final version is expected to be published at the end of May. Georgia, if it agrees with that version, is targeting adopting the Standards in July. GA PTA supports this voluntary state initiative and encourages its members to read more about it. The standards can be found at www.corestandards.org.
Legislation to Watch
Every week we will report on legislation that we believe is critical to you. Please note, if PTA has an established position, a local unit cannot take an opposing position.
Action Alert: SB 308: Concealed guns permitted in bars, public buildings, sporting events, churches and college campus except within 1000 feet of dorms. The bill prohibits guns only from K-12 schools (but removes restriction forbidding guns within 1000 feet of school), government buildings, jails, prisons, and mental institutions. Private property owners may determine if guns are allowed on their property but ban does not have weight of law. Shifts issuance of weapons permits to the Secretary of State rather than the local probate judge. Current law forbids guns at school functions and within the 1000 ft school safety zone around a school. ACTION ALERT: SB 308 expands the places where concealed weapons may be carried and can include some school events. Please contact the House Judiciary Committee, Non-Civil Committee and ask them not to pass the bill. A 30-second call to each, plus one to the committee aide, will only take you 11 minutes – you can do it while your morning coffee brews. Here’s the link to the committee members:
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/house/Committees/judiciaryNonCivil/gahjudync.htm
You can click on each member’s name to get their contact info. Please start with the officers.
HB 400: BRIDGE, Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia’s Economy Act. Department of Education is to develop programs so a student can get courses at the home school, a technical college, a two or four year college, a work site as an apprentice, and other approved settings. Middle grades advisement shall provide counseling, advisement, career awareness, career interest inventories to evaluate each student’s academic skills and career interests. In grade 8, students shall select a preferred focused program and study and develop an individual graduation plan (IGP) with parents. High school students shall have annual reviews of the IGP which are to include academic core subjects and course work in math and science OR humanities, fine arts, and foreign language, OR sequenced career pathway courses; include IEP components if applicable. Senate amends: Individual Graduation Program is for all students. The Individual Graduation Plan will be a lot of work but may be very beneficial in tracking every student’s achievement in attaining graduation credits. This bill was VETOED in 2009 when it was attached to SB 178 and is back as a stand alone bill. PASSED House PASSED S. Education & Youth
ReplyDeleteHB 908: Local school systems will be exempted from meeting the QBE expense controls (OCGA 20-2-167) and allowed options to use 20 Additional Days of Instruction (OCGA 20-2-212) during the school year for extra instruction to students who need it through June 30, 2013. Senate adds: local school systems may operate with a system average relative to class size. If there are two or more classrooms serving the same grades, the system stays in compliance as long as the average of the all the classrooms for that grade have the same number of students as the individual class size itemized for that grade and program in the bill. PASSED House PASSED Senate DV
HB 1307: Waives for 5 years the Professional Standards Commission requirement for 10 Professional Learning Units, PLUs, for teacher recertification. PASSED House PASSED in S.Education & Youth
SB 392: Elementary and secondary schools, child care learning centers, any institution of higher learning shall verify that a motor carrier or contract carrier which transports students shall be certified by the Public Service Commission or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Relevant to those systems considering privatizing school bus services TGIS
HR 1203: CA, and the enabling legislation, to expand the Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) to be used for educational annual budgets (instead of just Capitol projects as it is now) with equivalent tax millage reduction. This purpose and the expected amount to be applied would be on the project list with all other projects.
ReplyDeleteSB 496: Creates a new HOPE college opportunity grant for students from low income families if money appropriated from the lottery. Has all the requirements of the current HOPE scholarship except for the B average. About 97% of those receiving PELL grants have family incomes of less than $40,000; 80% have family incomes of less than $30,000. GA Student Finance Commission will administer the program, and use the PELL grant process as a basis for evaluating students. As with the other HOPE, students must be a graduate from a GA high school and a legal resident for 12 months, or if not a graduate from a GA high school, they must be a resident for 24 months. PASSED Senate PASSED in H. Higher Education
HB 938: No use of wireless communication while operating a vehicle, except for communications with emergency responders. Citizens band radios, citizens band radio hybrids, commercial two-way radio devices, subscription-based emergency communications, in-vehicle security, navigation, and remote diagnostics systems or amateur or ham radio devices are excluded from this prohibition. Drivers license will be suspended if accident caused by driver on the first offense for 90 days or until age 18, whichever occurs first; on the second offense, 6 months or until age 18. Fines are between $50 and $100, double if the operator caused an accident. Restoration of the drivers license will be $60. Those under age 18 also get 2 points on the drivers license
SB 458: Safety belts must be used in all passenger vehicles including pickups for drivers under age 18, and for older drivers if pickups driven on public roads. PASSED Senate PASSED H.Health and Human Services
HB 1200: Local school boards can solicit and accept donations for field trips and any other educational purpose.
SB 250 added the language from HB 927: Anti-bullying: Expands the definition of ‘bullying’ to include electronic bullying that physically harms a person or damages the property of another, has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s education, creates an intimidating or threatening education environment, or substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the school. DOE is required to develop a model policy and make it available on the department’s web site for use by local school systems. PASSED Senate PASSED House DV
SB 319: Money appropriated for 'textbooks’ can also be used to purchase computer hardware and software. TGFS
SB 206: Office of Planning and Budget to include tax expenditure reviews as part of the budget document. Three year history to be included – last year, this year to date, and next year. Also to include an analysis if the tax expenditure is meeting its objective. Senate: Removes the requirement for the analysis if meeting its objective. SUPPORT PASSED Senate PASSED House DV
SB 299: Juvenile judges given discretion about incarcerating a child with a weapon in school, on school grounds, or at a school function on the first offense unless the weapon is a firearm or machine gun or is used with an assault. Essentially, knives and other items used as weapons excluding firearms are removed from the zero tolerance law for children on the first offense. Schools are not required to change their behavioral codes PASSED Senate DO PASS in H.Judiciary Non Civil
Key: HR- House Resolution, HB – House Bill, SR – Senate Resolution, SB– Senate Bill
CA – Constitutional Amendment TGIS – To Governor for signature DV – Differing versions
The House has passed out the FY11 budget. The Senate is expected to adopt its version this coming week. The budget is the only constitutional requirement for the General Assembly.
FY 11 Budget
ReplyDeleteThe entire K-12 budget has been reduced by $408 million by the House which the governor recommended be cut by $437 million. Local school boards will have to implement these cuts. All numbers shown reflect the dollar amount cut.
Selected items in the K-12 budget.
FY11 FY11
Governor’s Rec. House Description
- 341,541 - 2,279,817 Academic Coaches for local schools *
- 875,712 - 707,346 Agriculture Education
- 327,421 - 327,421 Charter School Grants, facility, planning, implementation
- 230,330 - 1,015,647 Curriculum Development
- 3,571,841 - 1,500,000 Edu. Tech Training Ctrs, eliminate *
- 46,095 - 278,128 GA Virtual School (high school)
- 299,733 - 300,442 Gov.’s Honors Pgm, Chg to 4 weeks
- 6,921,107 - 7,209,486 Nat’l Board Certification, eliminate
- 440,000 - 500,000 Nat’l Science Center, eliminate
- 2,657,539 - 6,687,773 Non QBE Grants, eliminate Sparsity Grants
- 1,308,782 - 2,202,025 Pre School Handicapped
- 24,699,141 - 29,009,534 Pupil Transportation *
No change QBE Equalization Grants
-527,023,763 -262,922,773 QBE Program
- 12,093,399 - 2,776,770 Reg’l Education Svc Agcy, eliminate *
- 514,766 - 2,577,554 School Improvement
- 1,600,500 - 1,600,000 School Nurses
- 1,473,240 - 3,546,860 Severely Emotionally Disturbed
- 1,633,454 - 1,541,659 Technology/Career Education
- 615,384 - 9,086,407 Testing, eliminate some tests *
* Notes:
Academic coaches and Technology Training Centers were transferred from Department of Education, DOE, to Regional Education Service Agencies, RESAs.
New buses to be purchased with bonds, $24,699,141.
Includes $272 million in federal stimulus funds, and $100 million in state funds added back.
RESAs to be $6.5 million for basic services, plus Academic Coaches and Technology Centers.
Testing eliminates the CRCT in G.1 & G.2, writing test in G.3 & G.5, Iowa Test of Basic Skills, SAT prep (use GACollege 411 for SAT prep). Reduces funding for PSAT by $815,000 and AP exams by $4,200,000 and pays for these tests for only students on FRL.
Karen Hallacy
GA PTA
2nd Vice President
Some very interesting news from the Georgia PTA Legislative Watch - I'll copy and paste their in-depth report in a few comments below:
ReplyDeleteGeorgia PTA’s weekly update on legislative activity – April. 25, 2010
We’re down to the final two days of the legislative session, April 27 and April 29. For the most part, the committee hearings are done and now it remains to be seen what bills make it to the floor of their respective chambers to be voted on. Many amendments will be made these final two days and the language can change drastically in the final hours. Both chambers have to agree on the final version after all the changes and amendments are made. We’ll send out a final update when the session is over to recap what passed but if you want a detailed understanding, plan to attend CLT in June and hear the legislative recap from those who monitored the legislation all session. If you’re interested, join us at the Capitol to see the legislature in session and what happens to the bills the final two days.
Gun Legislation
This session several gun bills were proposed and reported on. This week SB 308 passed out of committee on Thursday afternoon and is now eligible for a floor vote in the House. This bill would prohibit guns in all government buildings, including schools, but it now allows guns in school parking lots and removes the 1,000 foot safety zone around schools. In many schools, parking lots are used as playgrounds during the school day. It was modified to continue the ban on guns in places of worship and bars (but a bar owner may now expressly allow them). It removes the ban on guns at sporting events so guns could be carried at the Georgia Dome. It also redefines what constitutes a weapon to include pistols, revolvers or any weapon designed or intended to propel a missile of any kind as well as basically any knife with a blade longer than two inches, straight-edge razors, knuckles, any bat, club or other bludgeon-type weapon or any flailing type instrument like a nun chuck. This is important legislation and one with which you should become familiar.
Legislation to Watch
ReplyDeleteEvery week we will report on legislation that we believe is critical to you. Please note, if National or Georgia PTA has an established position, a local unit cannot take an opposing position.
HB 23: Drivers causing an accident while using specified wireless devices shall have stronger penalties than those not using such devices. Drivers under age 18 cannot use a cell phone nor text message while driving. Exceptions are made for driver emergencies, reporting an accident or criminal activity, or using while parked. Penalty is 1 point on the drivers license and/or a fine of $150. PTA SUPPORTS the restrictions on under age 18 drivers. SUPPORT PASSED House DO PASS in S.Public Safety DV
SB 360: Use of a cell phone or texting while driving is a misdemeanor. Exceptions are in an emergency, reporting or averting a crime, public safety personnel and public utility service folk. Fine is $150. Those age 18 and under will get their unrestricted drivers licenses delayed for a year upon a second offense. PASSED Senate DO PASS in H.Public Safety & Homeland Security
SB 457: Empowers a high school cluster to petition the local board of education to become a conversion charter. Requires a referendum in the attendance zone of such high school cluster. House: Instead of the referendum, requires a 60% favorable vote by parents and faculty in all the schools in the cluster and approval by the local school councils. PASSED Senate PASSED House DV
SB 340: Every year, local school systems and private schools must transmit to GA School Finance Commission an electronic transcript of courses and grades for each freshman, sophomore and junior high school student, grading scales used in the school, state required test scores for the purpose of calculating the GPA for potential HOPE scholarships. Currently, only the seniors’ records must be sent. Now you’ll know if you’re child is eligible for HOPE. PASSED Senate and House TGFS
HB 908: Local school systems will be exempted from meeting the QBE expense controls (OCGA 20-2-167) and allowed options to use 20 Additional Days of Instruction (OCGA 20-2-212) during the school year for extra instruction to students who need it through June 30, 2013. Local school systems may operate with a system average relative to class size. If there are two or more classrooms serving the same grades, the system stays in compliance as long as the average of the all the classrooms for that grade have the same number of students as the individual class size itemized for that grade and program in the bill. TGFS
ReplyDeleteSB 496: Creates a new HOPE college opportunity grant for students from low income families if money appropriated from the lottery. Has all the requirements of the current HOPE scholarship except for the B average. About 97% of those receiving PELL grants have family incomes of less than $40,000; 80% have family incomes of less than $30,000. GA Student Finance Commission will administer the program, and use the PELL grant process as a basis for evaluating students. As with the other HOPE, students must be a graduate from a GA high school and a legal resident for 12 months, or if not a graduate from a GA high school, they must be a resident for 24 months. PASSED Senate PASSED in H. Higher Education
Key: HR- House Resolution, HB – House Bill, SR – Senate Resolution, SB– Senate Bill
CA – Constitutional Amendment TGIS – To Governor for signature DV – Differing versions
FY 11 Budget
ReplyDeleteThe Senate passed their version of the FY 11 budget this week. The House and Senate versions now must be worked out in conference committee.
Several areas of interest for education:
School nurse funding was cut an additional $750,000 (total $2.3M) on top of the cuts proposed by the House ($1.6M)
Governor’s Honors Program, agreed with House version to reduce program to four weeks this summer but eliminated all funding for the summer of 2011
Restored funding for CRCT testing in 1st and 2nd grade and for ITBS and PSATs
Increased cuts to transportation funding
Senate restored some funding for GA Council for the Arts
For additional information, go to Capitol Watch on the Georgia PTA website:
www.ciclt.net/gapta
Karen Hallacy
GA PTA
2nd Vice President
@ Cerebration 7:59 am
ReplyDeleteSounds about right:
Cut school nurses and the Governor's Honors program but increase funding for Testing. LOL