Legislative Report (Vol. XXVI No. 12) March 30, 2007

Teacher Quality Passes House Education Committee

Teacher Quality Passes House Education Committee The House Education Committee this week passed SF 277, the Teacher Quality bill. The House committee made various changes to the Senate version. The most significant of these were: 

1. Administration and the Local Association can mutually agree to assign the responsibilities of the Teacher Quality Committee to an existing committee, appoint members from an existing committee to the Teacher Quality Committee, or to have an existing committee act as an advisory committee.
2. The goal of one additional professional development contract day or equivalent was added to the use of the professional development funds.
3. The language stating a teacher must be given an opportunity to participate in an intensive assistance program before any adverse employment consequences was removed. It was replaced with language stating a teacher who is not meeting the standards and criteria must participate in an intensive assistance program.
4. Creates two pay-for-performance pilots and eight career ladder pilots. After the pilots, the Department of Education is required to implement the successful components of the pilots statewide, if funding is sustainable.

Before the bill can go to the full floor for debate it must first clear the Appropriations Committee. That action is expected to occur on Monday of next week. Full floor action is expected before the end of the week.

Sharing/Reorganization Bill Moving

The Senate this week passed SF 447 which deals with incentives for sharing between districts and between districts and other governmental entities. The bill also contains language providing incentives for sharing between AEAs.

The House Appropriations Committee also passed the House version of bill this week. It was amended in committee to conform to the Senate version. As was reported several weeks ago both bills now contain study language originally proposed two years ago but never acted upon. The study is to examine potential efficiency opportunities available to school districts and to compile reports. Specifically it provides that:

• Not later than September 15, 2007, the DE shall, in consultation with AEAs and other stakeholders, develop a process to facilitate discussion between schools to increase student achievement through an identification of sharing and efficiency efforts. The process is intended to promote a reduction in the costs of operation functions.
• The DE will receive an appropriation to hire staff members to coordinate and facilitate the process listed above.
• By January 15, 2008, each AEA shall submit a plan to the department which identifies the existing, new or expanded opportunities for school district sharing.
• The DE will compile the studies and submit to the General Assembly by March 15, 2008.

Other

• The House passed the Early Childhood Bill, HF 877
• Passed and sent to the Governor HF 468 which provides for a DE Study of a Statewide Student Information System.
• The AEA Legislative Breakfast this past week attracted close to half of the members of the General Assembly.

LEGISLATIVE BILL STATUS
As of March 30, 2007
*Denotes bills having a direct impact on AEAs
Bold italics indicate a change in status or bill number from the previous report