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Community Conversation Legislative Changes Coming to Our Schools?
Agenda • Welcome and Introduction • Introduction of Panelists • Overview of SB 361, Panel Comments, Q&A • Overview of HB 719, Panel Comments, Q&A • Overview of HB 902, Panel Comments, Q&A • Overview of HB 935, Panel Comments, Q&A • Overview of HB 944, Panel Comments, Q&A • Overview of SB 337, Panel Comments, Q&A • Call to Action – • Contact legislators (hand-out) • Rally parents, SLTs, PTAs • Open Q&A
Panelist Introductions • Jonathan Sink, Associate General Counsel, CMS • Wes Jones, Principal, ai Design Group and Chair, Workforce Development & Education Committee, Charlotte Chamber • Rhonda Lennon, CMS Board of Education • Natalie English, SVP, Public Policy, Charlotte Chamber
Overview of SB 361: Excellent Public Schools Act of 2013 • This bill has number of recommendations related to teacher tenure being replaced with one- to four-year contracts. It also promotes the ranking of schools with A - F letter grades. However, it should be noted this grade will only reflect schools’ annual performance scores, not their growth scores. • Many schools will be given a grade of D or F, even if they have shown significant student growth over a given school year. • Adding student growth to the school performance grading process gives parents and other members of the public a more accurate picture of how schools are actually performing.
Overview of HB 719: 2013 Education Improvement Act • The House has responded to the Senate with its own bill that would also eliminate teacher tenure as we know it and implement the Colorado model in North Carolina. • HB 719 would make it extremely difficult to terminate ineffective teachers, as principals would second-guess their evaluations, because teachers would be given the right to petition the local BOE for a hearing on any negative evaluation. • Charter schools would be exempt from the personnel and due process consequences found in HB 719, which would allow charters to continue firing teachers without any hearing rights. • This bill is preferred to SB 361, because (1) it includes a school performance grading model that includes a student growth model and (2) it has well-defined teacher evaluation definitions and ratings.
Overview of HB 902: Education and Workforce Innovation Act • This is a bi-partisan bill that would provide strong incentives to K-12 public schools to partner with institutions of higher learning and the business community through a matching grants program. • This is a comprehensive, positive approach to improving schools in a meaningful tech- and business-savvy manner. • It unites schools, businesses, and the community to collaborate and better prepare students to graduate high school and be either college- or career-ready. • However, HB 902 must be adequately funded in order to have any real impact.
Overview of HB 935: NC Pre-K Law Changes • This bill will cut eligibility for Pre-K services in NC from the current level of 67,000 children to an estimated 30,000. • Research shows investment in early childhood education yields significant results; in fact cost-benefit analysis shows return ranging from $3 to $9 for every dollar invested. • The definition of “at risk” needs to be consistent in HB 935 and HB 944 (the Voucher bill.)
Overview of HB 944: Opportunity Scholarship Act • The voucher bill would provide a $4,200 voucher, per student, per year. As currently written, up to 65 percent of current North Carolina children will qualify for these vouchers, which will channel much-needed funds away from public schools. • Voucher, opportunity scholarships, and tuition tax credits are all different names for putting public taxpayer dollars into private schools. • The bill lacks accountability parameters for private school recipients of taxpayer dollars. • Private schools are not required to hire licensed teachers and are not subject to the same academic standards imposed on public schools. • The bill will cost $90 million over the next two years, which is challenging at a time when funding for public education has been down for years.
Overview of SB 337: NC Charter Schools Board • This bill would allow a newly appointed NC Charter Advisory Board to be formed. • It would exempt charter schools from hiring certified teachers. • It would exempt charter schools from conducting background checks on teachers. • Many law experts question the constitutionality of such legislation, because charter schools are publicly funded.
