A Recap of the State Board Of Education's
June 2007 Meeting

State Superintendent Lauds '08 Education Budget, Bond Issue

State Superintendent of Education Dr. Joe Morton presented a review of the 2007 regular legislative session to the state Board of Education during its K-12 meeting Thursday. He celebrated the $6.7 billion education budget as a vast improvement over the 2004 budget cut severely by proration and praised the history-making $1 billion-plus bond issue Gov. Bob Riley signed into law Wednesday to address pressing school construction, repair and renovation needs.

Also on Thursday, the board adopted new special education services rules, approved healthier requirements for beverages sold in school vending machines and announced its intent to adopt new teacher education rules.

Critics and supporters of new rules pertaining to special education services addressed the board. Opposition hinged on allowing parents of special education students to obtain copies of their children’s records and the standard deviation for scores used to determine eligibility for special education.

State Special Education Director Dr. Mabry Whetstone said there have only been a few reports from parents that they were unable to obtain copies of their children’s records. He agreed to remind schools’ special education supervisors that parents may obtain copies of their children’s records if failure to do so would effectively prevent the parents from exercising their right to inspect and review the records.

The board declined to adjust the suggested standard deviation but instead unanimously approved the changes, which essentially incorporate last year’s amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The new state rules become effective July 19.

Alabama became the second state – Mississippi is the first – to adopt national guidelines that remove all full-calorie soft drinks from schools. As soon as this fall, some students will see vending machines stocked with bottled water, milk and fruit juices. Carbonated beverages won’t be sold before high school, where there are only low- and no-calorie options. The new vending rules, recommended by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the Alabama Beverage Association, will be fully implemented by 2008-09.

At Thursday’s meeting, the board announced its intent to repeal existing rules pertaining to teacher education and adopt new ones incorporating suggestions by the Governor’s Commission on Quality Teaching adopted by the board in April. The recommendations include revamping university-level teacher preparation programs, implementing research-based professional development and launching a statewide teacher mentoring program.

The board gathers for its K-12 work session June 28 in Montgomery. Its annual meeting, required by state law, is set for 9:30 a.m. July 10

—Denise L. Berkhalter