BATs LEGISLATIVE TEAM WEEKLY UPDATE

FEDERAL NEWS

BATS ARE ASKING EVERYONE TO STOP THE CONFIRMATION OF JOHN KING.  HE WAS HORRIBLE FOR NEW YORK AND HE WILL BE HORRIBLE FOR THE NATION!

CALL SENATOR ALEXANDER AND TELL HIM TO SAY NO TO JOHN KING  202-224-4944. Here are some talking points

1. John King disenfranchised and marginalized the voices of parents in New York by calling them “special interests groups. “ http://dianeravitch.net/2013/10/14/parent-groups-in-new-york-call-for-commissioner-john-king-to-resign/ 2. When John King resigned from New York parents reacted http://www.nysape.org/john-king-resigns-parents--educators-call-for-a-new-direction-from-the-regents-and-demand-no-interference-from-governor-cuomo.html 3. When President Obama made John King Acting Secretary New York Parents were warn of the impending catastrophe http://dianeravitch.net/2015/10/02/nysape-john-king-was-a-catastrophe-in-new-york/ 4. Due to his refusal to listen to parents in New York State over 240,000 parents lost trust in the education system and refused testing for their children. http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2015/12/8586029/group-calls-parents-opt-out-local-assessments 5. The New York State United Teachers Association called a No Confidence vote for King in 2014 http://www.nysut.org/news/2014/april/ra-2014/nysut-votes-no-confidence-in-king-calls-for-his-removal 6. His display in the hearings of Chief Information Officer Danny Harris only solidifies King's indifference and incompetence to oversee our children’s education. https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/more-transcribed-interactions-from-usdoe-cio-danny-harris-hearing/ and here https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/investigation-of-usdoe-cio-danny-harris-video-and-transcribed-excerpts/


SEND OUR ACTION NETWORK LETTER WHICH HAS HAD OVER 1000 SENT TO SAY NO TO KING.   https://actionnetwork.org/letters/say-no-to-john-king-as-us-secretary-of-education?source=direct_link&referrer=badass-teachers-association

ALSO CHECK OUT THE BATS ELECTION SCORE CARD HERE  http://badassteachers.blogspot.com/2016/01/bat-election-scorecard-common-core.html


STATE NEWS

Wisconsin
Lawmakers reach deal on voucher program  http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/lawmakers-reach-deal-on-changes-to-voucher-program/article_554279c5-9c0f-5504-bc71-77965782b489.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share


Policy Force Can Be Used to Collect Library Fees!  https://redwriting.wordpress.com/2016/02/17/in-wisconsin-coercive-police-force-can-now-be-used-to-collect-library-late-fees/

Assembly passes bill that costs districts with students who head to private voucher schools http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/assembly-passes-bill-that-costs-districts-with-students-who-head/article_bfd36d8e-fe05-5cfa-94f2-cf56b6ea335a.html

MISSOURI 
Paycheck Deception bill that would cripple public employee unions is moving through the legislature  http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/21786-the-latest-attack-on-public-sector-unions-paycheck-protection-in-pennsylvania-and-missouri


KANSAS
Anti CCSS bill also forbids AP and IB programs. Also for end to ALL federally mandated education programs.  

Education Committee has ‘ignored the desires of Kansans across the state, and implemented bills supporting the ideologies of the far right’  http://pvpost.com/2016/02/19/capitol-update-education-committee-has-ignored-the-desires-of-kansans-across-the-state-and-implemented-bills-supporting-the-ideologies-of-the-far-right-47603

ARIZONA
Republicans take credit for giving back what they took away!  http://www.tucsonweekly.com/TheRange/archives/2016/02/18/republicans-take-credit-for-giving-back-what-they-took-away

Decoding Ducey-Speak on Education Funding  http://www.tucsonweekly.com/TheRange/archives/2016/02/17/decoding-ducey-speak-on-education-funding

UTAH
The legislature has been passing a bill that would give $60 million in additional funding to charters, while only giving a 2.5% WPU increase to public schools. The school grading may change for the fifth time in as many years, requiring up to 90% of a school to pass standardized testing to get a good grade; and there's still a huge fight over how to elect members of the state school board--the legislators want the elections to be partisan, even though the vast majority of Utahns want them to be non-partisan.


FLORIDA
Bill requiring public schools to share money with charter schools moves forward  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/education/fl-charter-funding-house-20160217-story.html

TENNESSEE
Voucher bill is placed on the table! After 4 years, Representative Bill Dunn said, "I don't have the votes." Revenge seems to be on the menu next as a dues deduction repeal law is heating up. Some seem intent on payback for the stall of the voucher bill. One representative told teachers today that it was against the law, so a bill was necessary. What?!

Governor Haslam proposes bill to exclude TNREADY test scores from teacher evals unless helpful on the heels of massive crash of test system with Measurement, Inc. for over 100 million.


COLORADO

Proposal to strip student growth data from teacher evaluations goes down  http://co.chalkbeat.org/2016/02/18/senate-panel-rejects-bid-to-cut-use-of-student-achievement-in-teacher-evaluations/#.VsjH__krKM9