For Your Information

Vol. 21, No. 7
April 10, 2009

Click here for past issues of the For Your Information newsletter.

Superintendent Shares
3rd Version of Budget with Board

At Thursday's K-12 meeting, state Superintendent of Education Dr. Joe Morton presented the state Board of Education with the third version of the governor's proposed education budget for 2010. The budget outlines how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — about 2 1/2 years of federal funding — would be used to prevent teacher job losses.

Discussion at the board table alluded to the cut in Other Current Expense funding used in local systems to hire support personnel. Morton said job losses among support personnel will still occur due to proration and the state's $796 million education budget deficit for 2009, $496 million of which impacts K-12. Morton said he expects budget talks to pick up speed as soon as next week with the May 18 end of the session looming.

"The problem is we are in a recession. We are in proration," Morton said. "We can take the stimulus funding and put it back in various places, and the governor has pledged his, which is the biggest portion of it, to save teacher jobs. There's just not enough money to save everything, so there will be, in all liklihood, some support jobs that won't be saved. But, there will be thousands upon thousands of support workers who won't be cut."

Morton mentioned other cuts, including the pooling of teacher materials and supplies to save money and a drop in textbook funding from $42.7 million to $12.7 million. Though not discussed, the proposed budget also includes increased teacher divisors in lower grades, which could mean fewer state-funded teacher units.

"The Legislature still faces a very difficult decision," said Morton, who mentioned stimulus dollars for Title I and special education as a way to save additional teacher jobs. However, some education advocates are concerned about using soft, one-time federal money to fund teaching positions that could ultimately become tenured.

In other business, the state board took a procedural vote to receive the state Mathematics Course of Study Committee's recommendations that come before the board for adoption May 14.

The board also unanimously adopted revisions to the state special education rules to align those with federal changes last December. The result is such provisions as accepting out-of-state evaluations and determining eligibility within 30 days from the time a student's initial evaluation is completed.

College and university requirements for teachers were revised to ease career professionals' transition into teaching by allowing a passing score on subject tests through the state's teacher testing program.

Leadership development rules were repealed and replaced with educator development rules designed to strengthen instructional leadership.

After several work sessions, there was no public comment about these issues Thursday.

The public still has time to comment on proposed administrative rule changes that would require state-issued identification numbers be issued and used to identify students rather than Social Security numbers. A vote on that measure is expected in June.

In a series of resolutions, the board recognized April as Teach Students How to Save and Invest Month and May 6 as School Nurse Day. The board gave its stamp of approval on appointments to the Alabama School of Fine Arts board and of the Career and Technical Education, Health Education, Physical Education and Technology Education State Textbook Committee.

On April 23, the state board meets for its 10:30 a.m. work session to discuss K-12. At that work session, the board will discuss teacher evaluation, local school board accountability and transparency and the state education budget. The fiscal accountability discussion could involve a proposal to post on the internet all checks issued by a board. The evening before its May 14 meeting, the board will announce the state Teacher of the Year and celebrate the state's young heroes, students who have overcome adversity.

Register Now for
NSBA/Southern Region Conference

The Arkansas School Boards Association is hosting the 2009 NSBA Southern Region Conference July 8-10 at the Peabody Hotel and Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Ark. Keynote speakers include: Wes Moore, Walter C. Coleman III, and Arkansas Senate Education Committee member Joyce Elliott. Visit www.arsba.org for conference registration information and refer questions about the conference to ASBA by calling 501/372-1415.

Mark Your Calendar for
Upcoming AASB Events

Ready for a ray of sunshine to pierce through the economic cloud overhead? It won't be long before you can gather with peers in your region for a pick-me-up of idea-sharing and networking.

AASB's fall regional meetings are set for Sept. 14-Oct. 5 and are worth one hour of credit in the School Board Member Academy. The dates are set for: Sept. 14, District 2; Sept. 15, District 1; Sept. 17, District 5; Sept. 21, District 8; Sept. 22, District 9; Sept. 24, District 7; Sept. 29, District 6; Oct. 1, District 4; and Oct. 5, District 3.

Mark your calendar for these other upcoming AASB Academy events:

• Fall Academy Core Conference (6 hours), Oct. 25-26, 2009, in Montgomery
• AASB Leadership II Orientation Course for New Board Members (6 hours), Dec. 3, 2009, Birmingham
• AASB Annual Convention (8 hours), Dec. 3-5, 2009, Birmingham

Though every attempt will be made to follow this schedule, some dates are subject to change.

Participate in April 14 Personnel Law Teleconference/Webinar

Prepared for the critical personnel decisions that spring school board meetings bring? No? Then, pick up the phone to hear education law experts Elizabeth Brannen Carter and Jayne Harrell Williams review Alabama's tenure and fair dismissal, contract principal and other critical employment laws. Registration is only $40 per person. Ask questions. Listen via telephone. View handouts on your computer. The April 14 teleconference/webinar will be 10 a.m. to noon. Group rates are available. Find out more.

Book Your Hotel Room for
July 26-28 Academy Conference

"Keep your eyes on the prize" is a worn cliche' that bears great meaning in highly volatile economic times like these. Ultimately, if students are to achieve at higher levels, school boards have to keep moving ahead, continue the progress they've begun and shield students as much as possible from the economic downturn. Learn how to do just that at AASB's July 26-28 Academy Conference, "Navigating Rough Waters, Seeking Student Success."

This year's AASB Summer Conference comes in the middle of summer vacations, so you'll want to beat the housing rush and make your reservations early. If you're a new board member or a veteran in need of a refresher, you'll also want to attend the leadership orientation course (Leadership I) scheduled for July 25-26.

All events will be at the Perdido Hotel. For conference details, contact Mandy Fernandez at 800/562-0601.

— Denise L. Berkhalter
publicrelations@alabamaschoolboards.org

Alabama Association of School Boards: Celebrating 60 years
of helping local education leaders improve student achievement.