BATs Legislative Team Weekly Update

Federal Legislation


Public comments for Programs under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketBrowser;rpp=25;po=0;dct=PS;D=ED-2015-OESE-0130;refD=ED-2015-OESE-0130-0001


State Legislation

FLORIDA
The House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee and the Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee approved bills, nearly or entirely along party lines, setting up a process that would allow parents to transfer their children to any school in the state that is not over capacity. The legislation would also allow parents to ask for their children to be transferred out of teachers' classrooms.   http://www.news4jax.com/education/lawmakers-seek-to-open-door-to-student-transfers


MASSACHUSETTS
SENATE PRESIDENT STAN ROSENBERG said on Wednesday that the state Senate will work to fashion a compromise bill on charter schools in an effort to stave off a costly and divisive ballot question campaign this fall.

Rosenberg, who had previously sounded pessimistic about the prospects of the Senate taking up the issue, told reporters this afternoon that a working group of four Democratic senators will begin meeting to try to come up with a bill. “There is no guarantee of the outcome, but people of good will can often find a path forward,” Rosenberg said, flanked by a group of Democratic senators."   http://commonwealthmagazine.org/health-care/senate-will-take-up-charter-school-issue/


IOWA
Education disaster without funding  http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2016/01/21/branstad-warned-education-disaster-without-funding/79124320/