BATs Legislative Action Team - Weekly Legislative Update

Reporting legislative news at both the federal and state levels!


 ESEA Update

The ‪ESEA‬ conference report passes 39-1 Next: House vote on December 2nd

ESEA rewrite clears another hurdle; final votes coming
At long last, the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is teed up for final votes in the House and Senate after Thanksgiving! On Thursday, by a vote of 39-1, a Senate/House conference committee approved a framework to reauthorize ESEA for the first time in nearly 14 years.

ESEA Renewal News Summary:  http://edworkforce.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399784

--"The framework replaces the one-size-fits-all 'adequate yearly progress' federal accountability system under current law with a comprehensive State-designed system that improves State capacity to identify and support struggling schools."

--"The framework maintains annual, statewide assessments in reading and math in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school, as well as science tests given three times between grades 3 and 12."

-- "The framework ensures States are able to choose their challenging academic standards in reading and math aligned to higher education in the state without interference from Washington. The federal government may not mandate or incentivize states to adopt or maintain any particular set of standards, including Common Core."

-- "Instead of requiring schools to implement the same one-size-fits-all school improvement requirements as they did under NCLB, the framework calls for evidence-based action in any school in which students aren’t learning, but the Secretary cannot prescribe the specific interventions or improvement strategies schools must use."

--"The framework sets high standards for students with disabilities by putting in place a state-level participation cap of 1 percent of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who can take the alternate assessment aligned to alternate academic achievement standards. Additionally, the framework moves accountability for English language proficiency from a separate system in Title III to Title I, to ensure that States are focusing on the unique needs of students who are learning English."

-- "The framework maintains maintenance of effort and supplement not supplant, with additional flexibility for States and school districts."

-- "The framework also ends federal mandates on teacher evaluations, while allowing states to innovate with federal funding."

--Supports at-risk populations (multiple things outlined in this section)

-- "The framework authorizes the new Student Support and Academic Enrichment grant program to help States and local school districts target federal resources on local priorities to better serve disadvantaged students."

-- "The framework improves the Charter Schools Program by investing in new charter school models, as well as allowing for the replication and expansion of high-quality charter school models."

-- "authorizing dedicated funding to support important priorities, including innovation, teacher quality, afterschool programming, increased access to STEM education, arts education, and accelerated learning, safe and healthy students, literacy, and community involvement in schools, and other bipartisan priorities." There is also a Preschool grant program being put together.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2015/11/lawmakers_announce_path_forwar.html?cmp=soc-edit-tw

Higher Education - Brianne Kramer

H.R.4109 - To amend the Higher Education Opportunity Act to restrict institutions of higher education from using revenues derived from Federal educational assistance funds for advertising, marketing, or recruiting purposes.

State by State Report - Thank you so our State Admins who reported in for this bulletin

Washington State - Becca Ritchie

State Supreme Court says no — again — to Washington charter schools  http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/education/article45547353.html

New York - Marla Kilfoyle

Union poised to win New York's education battle  http://www.newsday.com/opinion/columnists/lane-filler/union-poised-to-win-new-york-s-fight-over-teacher-evaluations-1.11139488

Wisconsin - Debbie Kadon

Jeremy Thiesfeldt’s Bill to Silence School Boards, Principals, and Administrators  http://stopcommoncoreinwisconsin.com/jeremy-thiesfeldts-bill-to-silence-school-boards-principals-and-administrators/

New Jersey - Melissa Tomlinson

NJ - A447/S1728 Establishing a task force to study the establishment of a full day kindergarten
A2994/S721 - proposal to allow higher performing districts to be monitored by QSAC every 7 years instead of the current 3
A-4044/S-1594 Establish requirement for daily recess K - 5
A-2888/S-1039 Require teacher prep programs to include credit hours in autism spectrum disorder for instructional certificates for teachers of students with disabilities endorsements.
A4328/S445 Establishes Response to Intervention initiative in DOE to support and encourage school districts in implementation of Response to Intervention framework
S3240 Authorizes establishment of recovery high school alternative education programs.

Text can be searched at this link using the bill numbers   http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/

Florida - Cyndi Pelosi

HUR 759: Filed by charter school exec Rep. Manny Diaz eliminates school board authorizing power  https://fundeducationnow.wordpress.com/2015/11/21/hur-759-filed-by-charter-school-exec-rep-manny-diaz-eliminates-school-board-authorizing-power/

LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE EARLY STEPS/EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR FLORIDA CHILDREN WITH UNIQUE ABILITIES PASSES FIRST SENATE COMMITTEE - Many fear this leads to more standardized testing   https://www.flsenate.gov/Media/PressReleases/Show/2330