Vol. 22, No. 14
August 4, 2010
Click here for past issues of the For Your Information newsletter.
STATE DOES NOT MAKE AYP
UNDER NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
The state and 51 school systems did not meet 100 percent of goals, which is necessary to make adequate yearly progress under No Child Left Behind. The announcement was made at Monday's state Board of Education meeting for K-12.
The state didn't meet its special education proficiency goals in reading nor mathematics. Overall, 75 percent of Alabama's schools made AYP, compared to 86 percent last year. Three school systems didn’t make AYP in 2009.
This year and every year until 2014, the mountain climb toward having every student proficient in reading and math steepens. In addition to the jump in NCLB benchmarks, H1N1 influenza and back- to-back years of proration on top of budget cuts were said to have also impacted accountability measures.
No Child Left Behind is an all-or-nothing proposition, even for schools with only one subgroup that fell short. In Alabama, 342 of the state’s 1,375 schools did not make AYP. Of systems that missed AYP, 30 did not meet the state's NCLB goal for the special education subgroup. Schools may have as few as five or as many as 37 subgroups of students. The subgroups, as identified in No Child Left Behind, are based on race, a poverty indicator, special education, English proficiency, as well as how all students performed and their participation in tests to determine reading and math proficiency. Additional accountability measures for Alabama are attendance and graduation rates.
Many board members emphasized their pleasure with the student progress made in Alabama in the past 15 years and called for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
EDUCATION TRUST FUND UPDATE
Receipts to the education trust fund experienced a substantial increase in July compared to July of last year, thereby reducing the year-to-date decline in the fund to 3.86 percent. However, the primary reason was the timing of a large amount of income tax refunds. The overall decrease in income tax receipts, which makes up over half of the fund, and the possible sudden impact of the gulf crisis on receipts to the fund have created the possibility that the current 7.5 percent level of proration will not be sufficient. Also, with only two months remaining in the fiscal year, boards should be prepared in the case that proration is declared prior to the end of the year, with the full amount of proration to be applied to only one or two months. This could create problems in cash flow near or at the Sept. 30 fiscal year end. Revenue shortfalls in the current fiscal year would mean the revenue base used to compile the 2011 fiscal year budget is too high and, therefore, create the possibility of proration of the 2011 budget that starts Oct. 1.
PRESIDENT’S AWARD WINNERS HONORED AT DISTRICT MEETINGS
The President's Award recognizes school boards that have 60 percent or more of their members attend at least three AASB conferences in a School Board Member Academy year. This year’s recipients will be notified soon by mail and will be recognized at the Aug. 23-Sept. 16 Fall District Meetings. Attend for an opportunity to applaud your fellow boards, to network and to enjoy the featured presentation on Getting Kindergartners Ready for Big School. The program is a member service worth one academy hour, and the only cost is dinner. Register now
AUG. 13 IS DEADLINE FOR RESOLUTIONS & BYLAWS
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.
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE WEBINAR SEPT. 8
Every school board should exhibit the best practices of effective meetings and an expert use of parliamentary procedure. When used effectively, parliamentary procedure helps a board improve debate, discussion and ultimately decision making. Join Zenda Bowie, director of field services for the Georgia Association of School Boards, and LuAnn Bird, AASB’s director of board development, as they present Effective Meetings Using Parliamentary Procedure. The webinar, set for 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. central time, will cover school board member decorum using Robert’s Rules of Order to guide discussion and engage your school board. The cost is only $40 per person or $150 per group call. Participating school board members earn 1.5 hours in the School Board Member Academy. Board presidents, superintendents, school board attorneys, board secretaries and school administrators are also welcome to attend. Register now.
ALL-STATE NOMINEES DUE OCT. 1
AASB has issued a call for all excellent school board members. Nominate someone now for the association’s highest award. Eligible participants are current or past board members who have shown exemplary boardmanship. AASB’s coveted All-State School Board Member recognition award will be presented at the association’s annual convention in December. Nomination materials are due Oct. 1. For more information, contact AASB Membership Services Coordinator Debora Hendricks at 334/277-9700 or DHendricks@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.
OCTOBER CONFERENCE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
The AASB School Board Member Academy presents its core course on Leadership for Academic Achievement at Renaissance Hotel Montgomery. Registration is now open at www.AlabamaSchoolBoards.org. Attend and learn about Rigor and Relevance for All Students, Linking Educator Effectiveness to Student Achievement, how the entire education community can come together to Raise the Bar for all children and how one school system made 21st Century Classrooms a reality. The Oct. 3-4 conference is worth six academy hours and satisfies the Leadership for Academic Achievement core course requirements. For more, download the brochure or visit conference details.
Note: The Executive Committee of the Alabama Caucus of Black School Board Members will meet at 11:45 a.m. Monday, Oct. 4 in Riverview IV.
AUDIO LIBRARY: PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE CD AVAILABLE FOR $40
Missed AASB’s webinar on Progressive Discipline: Disciplining and Dismissing Employees in Today’s Legal Climate? Order your copy of the audio CD and presentation for only $40. The audio features Jayne Harrell Williams, an education and employment law attorney with Hill, Hill, Carter, Franco, Cole & Black, P.C., and AASB Executive Director Sally Howell. Hear about the landscape for terminating underperformers and ineffective employees, what arbiters expect to see in an employee’s personnel record, and more. Call 800/562-0601 or e-mail Donna Norris at DNorris@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.
SURVEY WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Congratulations go to Fred McLaney of the Barbour County school board and Gappa Wise of the Elba school board for winning free registration to either the October 2010 or March 2011 AASB School Board Member Academy conferences. Both participated in recent surveys of AASB’s membership. For more information, contact AASB Membership Services Coordinator Debora Hendricks, 334/277-9700 or DHendricks@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.
CALL FOR DISTRICT DIRECTOR NOMINEES
If you are interested in serving a two-year term as an AASB District Director, now is your chance. Nominations for AASB’s odd-numbered districts must be received in writing and postmarked or received by the executive director no later than Sept. 1. Each school board will then receive a ballot in September to vote on during their October school board meeting. Ballots must be returned to AASB by Oct. 31. District 1 Director Stephanie Walker of Brewton, District 3 Director Roxie Kitchens of Troy and District 9 Director Dr. Jennie Robinson of Huntsville are eligible for re-election. New directors will be chosen in districts 5 and 7. Each term is two years. A director completing a full term is eligible for another. Call 800/562-0601 for details or mail nominations to Alabama Association of School Boards, ATTN: District Director Nomination, P.O. Drawer 230488, Montgomery, AL 36123-0488.
T-SHIRT ANYONE?
AASB still has a few 2010 Summer Conference T-shirts available for $5 each plus $1 postage. To purchase yours, e-mail info@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org or call 800/562-0601.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
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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