A REVIEW OF THE ACTIONS OF THE 2011 GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1. A REVIEW OF THE ACTIONSOF THE2011 GEORGIA GENERALASSEMBLY “GOOD” IS AN ABSENCE OF “BAD”

2. BUDGET ISSUES(FY2011 AMENDED) DEATH BY A THOUSAND PAPER CUTS • Agriculture education • Charter schools (planning and facility grants) • Communities in Schools • Georgia Virtual School • Governor’s Honors Program • Sparsity grants

3. BUDGET ISSUES(FY2011 AMENDED, CONTINUED) LARGER REDUCTIONS • DOE Central Office expenses (-$700K) • Special Needs “scholarship” (-$2 million) • Migrant education (-$250K) • School nutrition (-$1.4 million in state funds) • Pre-school handicapped (-$1.4 million) • RESA’s and ETC’s (-$360K total) • School nurses (-$1 million) • Technical and career education (-$640K)

4. BUDGET ISSUES(FY2011 AMENDED, CONTINUED) ADDITIONS • Charter system funds (+$1.9 million) • Funds for math/science teacher pay (+$12.6 million) • Funds for enrollment growth (+$83 million) • Saved GALILEO ($125K) • Bonds for buses (+$25 million) • NO MID-TERM AUSTERITY CUTS, BUT $1.1 BILLION CURRENT AUSTERITY CUT STILL IN PLACE!!!

5. FY2012 BUDGET THE AWFUL TRUTH • $1.1 BILLION in austerity cuts remain, with another $60 million added • Equalization remains underfunded by 1/3 • Local Five Mill Share still exceeds 20% of the formula earnings but remains unchanged • ARRA funds are gone ($140 million)

6. FY2012 BUDGET(continued) Additional cuts include: • Agriculture education by 4% • Central office (DOE) by $2.4 million • Georgia Virtual School by $200K • Sparsity grants by $298K • Testing programs by $250K • Special Needs Scholarship by $1.7 million* • Migrant education by $250K (eliminates state funds for this program)

7. FY2012 BUDGET(continued) Additional cuts (continued): • School nutrition by $2.5 million (state funds) • Pre-school handicapped program by $575K • Pupil transportation by $8.3 million • RESA’s by 8% ($482K) • Math mentor funds by $143K • School improvement program by $858K

8. FY2012 BUDGET(continued) ADDS • Funds for anticipated enrollment growth ($61 million) • Funds for T&E and for math/science additional pay per HB280 ($30 million) • Funds to support the Move on When Ready Act ($524K) • $25 million in bonds for school bus purchases • Full funding of all capital outlay programs except the “exceptional growth” category, which was funded at the $40 million entitlement level

9. FY2012 BUDGET(continued) Major disagreements with the Governor: • A cut to technical and career education of $592K (Governor’s recommendation: $1.29 million) • Cuts to grants for residential treatment centers of $38K (Governor: $700K) • Cut to ETC’s of $120K (Governor: eliminate) • Cut to school nurse program of $1.1 million (Governor: $2.8 million) • Cuts to the program for severely emotionally disturbed students of $1.3 million (Governor: $656K)

10. HIGHLIGHTS OF LEGISLATION THAT PASSED

11. HB192 • Original purpose of bill was to create a “legitimate” education finance study commission • Membership of large group includes, among others, a superintendent and a school system finance officer • Authorization in the legislation to consult with outside groups, including GSSA • Comprehensive list of topics to be studied and about which recommendations will be made • Tight, mandatory deadlines with anticipated legislation in both the 2012 and 2013 sessions of the General Assembly (final recommendations completed by 9/30/12)

12. HB192(additions) • Contents of HB172 added (the “flexibility bill”), extending until 2015 the already-in-place changes to statutes governing expenditure controls, class size, contract issuance dates (May 15), and decision deadlines for IE2, charter, or “status quo” system status • Amended to include portions of HB907 (2009-10 session) to authorize systems to use any configuration of grades 6, 7, and 8 and still receive middle school funding (as long as program requirements are met), eliminate the remedial requirements in middle schools, and require 5 hours of instruction for all middle schools (no opportunity for a 4.5-hour waiver)

13. HB186 The “Career Pathways” bill • The result of the effort in recent years to legislate two (or, three) diplomas • An “interesting read” • Mandates a lot of “working together” by SBOE, Board of Regents, and Technical College Board • Requires TCSG units and BOR units to accept core credit for admission purposes (and without remedial instruction)*** • Mandates 16 different career pathways be developed by DOE

14. HB186 (continued) • Mandates that career/technical courses include “embedded” standards from core subjects where appropriate and that students receive credit for those core subjects upon successful completion of the career/tech course (details responsibility of DOE) • Mandates that DOE develop methods by which students may “test out” or otherwise demonstrate mastery of courses without having to take the classes • Sets out numerous guidelines related to “dual credit” coursework and student eligibility for same • Mandates individual graduation plans for students (O.C.G.A. 20-2-327) • Even mandates that an assessment be developed to measure “soft skills” needed by workers to be successful in the workplace!!!

15. HB285 • Original purpose was to “clean up” mistakes made with the passage of HB1103 (2009-10 session) • Adds requirement for PSC (by 2015) to establish rules that will require the impact of professional learning on educator performance and student achievement to be a part of certification renewal process • Also requires DOE and PSC to develop an online course on educator ethics (emphasis on best practices for administering state-mandated tests)

16. SB79 • Original intent of bill was to require that all school boards in Georgia have four-year terms (affected only Savannah-Chatham) • Amended in House to add legislation that would: • Reduce the number of school board members in Dekalb County from nine to seven • Changes key provisions from SB84 (2009-10 session) so that, (1) when a local board approaches loss of accreditation, ALL board members are subject to removal (not just those elected after July 1, 2010), and (2) accreditation issues must be resolved by July 1, 2011, or the State Board will be required to conduct the hearings called for in the legislation ***

17. HB325 • The only “voucher-related” legislation to pass this year • Makes changes to the current statute that provides tax credits for taxpayers who donate to “scholarship” organizations that provide private school vouchers: • Places a cap on the amount that can be paid in the form of vouchers • Inserts an automatic “escalator” on the current $50 million cap (based on inflationary factors)

18. HB227 Another “epi-pen” bill, this one requiring: • Local boards to adopt a policy authorizing school personnel to administer epinephrine to a student who is “perceived” to be having an allergic reaction (whether or not the student has a prescription for the stuff!) • Each local board to provide information to personnel on how to recognize the symptoms of anaphylactic shock and how to administer epinephrine Note: Immunity from civil liability is provided for employees to who choose to administer (or not administer) epinephrine.

19. OTHER LEGISLATION HB314 – entitled “Jessie’s Law,” provides that foster children are to be counted present in school when actually absent due to any court appearance related to their foster status HB57 – provides that motorists can be fined for illegally passing a school bus IF the bus has a video recording device that captures a “clear view” of the passing vehicle, shows the flashing lights on the bus, and records the date and time of the alleged violation (Note: This bill contains no requirement that buses be so equipped.)

20. OTHER LEGISLATION (cont’d.) HB326 – changes to the HOPE scholarship (Valedictorian-salutatorian issue plus “single administration” requirement for SAT or ACT score) SB161 – creates “Office of College and Career Readiness” under TCSG (another route to charters) HR497 – urges local school systems to make all their facilities “tobacco free” HR113 – a “school bus safety” study committee

21. LEGISLATION THAT FAILED(But, remains “alive” for 2012) • SB34 – the “Rachel Sackett” Act that would make charter school students eligible to participate in extracurricular activities at the traditional public school in the attendance zone where they reside • SB184 – would prohibit local boards from using “LIFO” as first steps in implementing RIF policies • SB87 and HB181 – voucher bills • SB38 – expands the authority of the State Superintendent in the area of personnel

22. QUESTIONS????