Vol. 22, No. 12
June 25, 2010
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STATE BOARD TO HEAR RECOMMENDATIONS ON COMMON CORE STANDARDS SEPT. 23
The state Board of Education votes Nov. 18 on whether to voluntarily adopt national common core standards recently released by the Council of Chief State School Officers and National Governors Association.
During Thursday’s K-12 work session, state Department of Education officials discussed their preliminary comparison of the national standards and existing state courses of study. Alabama’s English Language Arts Course of Study includes about 77 percent of what is found in the common core standards. In mathematics, there is a 90 percent match between common core standards and what Alabama already has in grades K-8. There is only a 51 percent match for math standards in grades 9-12. SDE officials said some may view the national standards as more rigorous because they are so detailed and there are far more of them.
In Alabama, the next step is for a task force consisting of state board designees and members of the English Language Arts and Mathematics Courses of Study committees to develop recommendations. The task force will present those to the state board on Sept. 23. After a public review period that includes meetings in Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile, final recommendations will be shared at the state board’s Oct. 28 work session.
Every state except Alaska and Texas participated in the effort to create the voluntary core standards. There was no federal involvement. However, that seemed to give little comfort to state board member Stephanie Bell. She worried aloud that it appears the decision on participating in common core standards has been made.
Morton said the state board’s vote decides whether Alabama will or won’t adopt the common core standards. He also mentioned what he described as an unfortunate blurring of the line between the federal Race to the Top grant competition and state-led development of standards. The Race to the Top grant asks whether states plan to adopt a common set of K-12 standards this year.
Also on Thursday, Morton said the economic model that will be used to submit loss claims to British Petroleum is being developed. He said he is convinced that recently announced plans to bill BP for oil spill-related losses to the Education Trust Fund is the “right thing” to do.
“What is happening in the Gulf of Mexico is going to directly, negatively impact the classroom in the state of Alabama through this fiscal year ending Sept. 30, through the next fiscal year starting Oct. 1 and only the Lord may know how long thereafter,” Morton said.
In addition to the board’s look at the 2009-2010 Technology in Alabama Public Schools report, there was also discussion of a proposed amendment to teacher certification rules for career and technical education. The change would make it easier for health care professionals to teach health science. There are no existing options for those interested in obtaining a Professional Educator Certificate in Health Science. Only licensed physicians, registered nurses or allied health specialists with a bachelor’s or higher degree would be eligible for the alternative baccalaureate-level certification in health science.
The state board’s annual meeting is set for July 13.
EDUCATION TRUST FUND UPDATE
Education Trust Fund receipts have shown slight improvement in recent months, with the year-to-date decline compared to last year dropping to 1.42 percent at the end of May. Sales tax receipts have increased, and there has existed some optimism recently that income tax receipts are rebounding. However, the oil spill crisis in the Gulf represents a serious threat to the prospects for continued growth in revenue sources dedicated to the ETF. School boards should be vigilant in monitoring reserves for the current year, as further proration of the ETF in the 2010 fiscal year is certainly possible. A decline in receipts due to the crisis could impact the revenue projections used for the 2011 fiscal year budget, thus making proration of that budget possible.
FREE WEBINAR FOR BOARD & SUPERINTENDENT SECRETARIES JUNE 30
If you missed the recent webinar for school board and superintendent secretaries on how to use AASB’s member database, a repeat presentation will be offered on June 30. The database, called eMEMBERSHIP, allows secretaries to easily keep their board members’ files up to date electronically. Register board members for AASB training and events or simply log in to find out such important information as an AASB School Board Member Academy report, dates for upcoming events, and more. AASB and strategic partner eBOARDsolutions will provide the free webinar from 10 until 11 a.m. central time. Register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/341059907. As an added bonus, participants will get the latest information about going paperless with their board meetings. School board members who wish to participate may do so.
LIKE THE JOB AASB DOES FOR YOU, HAVE A CONCERN TO SHARE?
If you haven’t had the opportunity to provide the Alabama Association of School Boards with your feedback, there is still time. The AASB Membership Survey deadline has been extended to June 30. The membership survey is online at www.AlabamaSchoolBoards.org/Survey.html or call 800/562-0601 to request a faxed copy. Your opinion matters!
REGISTER NOW FOR PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE WEBINAR/TELECONFERENCE
Disciplining problem employees is essential to raising student achievement and building public confidence in schools, but the landscape for terminating underperformers and ineffective employees has changed. Learn what arbiters expect to see in an employee’s personnel record. Understand how your case will be analyzed, and find out how you can make a case stick. The webinar will be presented by Jayne Harrell Williams, an education and employment law attorney with Hill, Hill, Carter, Franco, Cole & Black, P.C. She will answer the tough and pertinent questions for participants in the Alabama Association of School Boards’ July 29 teleconference/webinar. Register now for Progressive Discipline: Disciplining and Dismissing Employees in Today’s Legal Climate. The cost is only $40 per person or $150 per group. Participating school board members earn 1.5 hours in the School Board Member Academy. Superintendents, school board attorneys and school administrators are also welcome to attend.
WILL YOUR CITY OR COUNTY PARTICIPATE IN THE AUG. 6-8 SALES TAX HOLIDAY?
Here is an ideal use for your SchoolCast rapid notification system: Remind your students’ parents about the Aug. 6-8 Sales Tax Holiday. If you’re not sure if your city or county is participating, log on to the Alabama Department of Revenue website to find out. Shoppers can enjoy a weekend free of state sales or use taxes on certain items, such as school supplies, computers and clothing, purchased between 12:01 a.m. Aug. 6 and midnight Aug. 8. Each county and city decides whether to pass a resolution or ordinance to also exempt the items from all or a portion of local sales or use taxes that weekend. For details and a full list of participating local governments, visit http://www.ador.alabama.gov/salestax/SalesTaxHol.htm.
SUBMIT PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS & BYLAWS CHANGES BY AUG. 13
School board members are asked to submit their proposed resolutions or changes in association bylaws by Friday, Aug. 13. Proposals, which must be submitted in writing, will be considered by AASB’s Delegate Assembly in December. Fax submissions to AASB at (334) 270-0000; mail to P.O. Box 230488, Montgomery, AL 36123-0488; or e-mail to twright@alabamaschoolboards.org. Resolutions approved by the Delegate Assembly at AASB’s annual convention set the association’s goals and positions on major education issues.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
July 29
Effective Evaluations Webinar
Aug. 23-Sept. 13
AASB Fall District Meetings
(1 Academy hour)
Oct. 3-4
Leadership for Academic Achievement
(6 Academy hours)
Renaissance Montgomery Hotel, Montgomery
Dec. 2
Effective Boards & Relationships Orientation
(6 Academy hours, formerly Leadership II)
Wynfrey Hotel, Birmingham
Dec. 2-4
AASB Annual Convention
(8 Academy hours)
Wynfrey Hotel, Birmingham
Jan. 18-Feb. 10, 2011
AASB Winter District Meetings
(1 Academy hour)
Connect with alaschoolboards via Facebook and Twitter and download our free iPhone/Blackberry smart phone application (search for BoardCast at the iTunes store). Special thanks to AASB’s business partners, eBOARDsolutions, Inc. and High Ground Solutions, Inc. To learn more or to schedule your free webinar or demonstration, contact AASB at info@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.
— Denise L. Berkhalter,
publicrelations@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org
Alabama Association of School Boards:
Developing excellent school board leaders through quality training, advocacy and services.
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