Presentation Transcript

1. 2013 Federal Education Policy

   Bruce Hunter, School Superintendents of Alabama Legislative Conference 2013 AASA THE School Superintendents Association
2. Sequestration Maybe – maybe not – more likely now March 1 Deadline for Sequestration If it happens estimates of cut shrink from 8.2% to 5.1 percent based on Budget Control Act – that is all discretionary programs are included Remember it is set up to happen annually for 10 years – not a one time event July 1, 2013 for all forward funded programs – not Impact Aid
3. Effect on School Districts
4. Estimated Sequestration for Alabama
5. Tick, Tick, Tick Funding issues March 1:  Sequestration -$110 billion March 27:  Expiration of CR April 15:  Budget deadline May 19:  Debt ceiling -- the legal debt ceiling is to be suspended until this
6. Federal K-12 Education “Reform” Policies Alabama is deeply involved Race to The Top – applied - unsuccessful ESEA Waivers
7. Feeling Swamped by Education “Reform” Proposals?No Slow Down in Sight
8. Federal K-12 Education “Reform” Policies Test based teacher/principal rating system Identifying and intervening in the bottom 5% More charter schools Waivers of some NCLB regulations Common Core Curriculum Standards New assessments - Smarter Balance & PARCC New emphasis on “Personalized instruction” New Pre-school initiative New Teacher prep accountability measures
9. Teacher Evaluation In 2011, 18 state legislatures modified some element of their tenure (a.k.a. continuing contract) laws — and many of these amendments made major changes. A growing number of states are beginning to embed teacher performance in decisions to grant tenure or explicitly state the maximum length of contract terms. In 2011, 19 states modified provisions for teacher evaluations. A number of states have set up advisory groups or task forces to recommend specific models or elements of the evaluation process. Since 2009, policies in 10 states (Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Utah) have done away with “last in, first out” reduction-in-force policies — nine of these policy changes were enacted in 2011. In addition, Arkansas legislation requires districts to have a written policy on reduction in force based upon objective criteria for a layoff and recall of employees. Likewise, states are increasingly empowering building leaders with the final say in which teachers they accept as staff. Source: Education Commission of the States
10. Teacher Evaluation The use of unique teacher identifiers within state student information systems is beginning to allow state policymakers in an increasing number of states to identify which state institutions are doing the best (or worst) job of preparing teachers. Across the U.S., 32 states and DC have made some change to their state teacher evaluation policy between 2008 and 2011. Just three years ago, only 15 states required annual evaluations of all teachers, with some states permitting teachers to go five years or more between evaluations. As of this 2011, 24 states and DC require annual evaluations for all teachers. Seventeen states and DC have adopted legislation or regulations that specifically require that student achievement and/or student growth will “significantly” inform or be the preponderant criterion in teacher evaluations. In 19 states and DC, teachers are eligible for dismissal based on teacher evaluation results. Source: Education Commission of the States
11. What about ESEA? It appears that the Administration has little interest in reauthorizing ESEA because… They are getting their way through waivers Neither the House nor Senate seem inclined to enact Administration priorities based on 2012 committee action
12. What about ESEA?But 2013 is a new opportunity Postelection, Kline Talks ESEA Renewal, Fiscal Cliff, and Bipartisanship By Alyson Klein on November 7, 2012 Ed Week Chairman John Kline interview "The urgency in my mind is still there," he said. "We need to get legislation that will move us away from unilateral actions of the administration," he added, referring to the Obama administration's waivers giving states running room from key mandates of the No Child Left Behind law, the current version of ESEA. "States who have requested and even been granted these waivers are not happy with them," including his own home state of Minnesota, Kline said, in part because of their temporary nature.
13. Other federal issues that need to be addressed Special Education MOE Dispute resolution - cost, complexity, staff drain
14. National public high school graduation rate at a four-decade high The percentage of students at public high schools who graduate on time has reached its highest level in nearly 40 years, according to the most recent federal government estimates. In 2005, the Education Department began publishing an official estimate of graduation rates, and all 50 states agreed to adopt a standard method of calculating those rates by 2013 By Lyndsey Layton, Jan 22, 2013 05:01 AM EST, The Washington Post Tuesday, January 22, 12:01 AM
15. Averaged freshman graduation rate for public high school students, by race/ethnicity: 2009–10 SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Dropout and Completion Data File," 2009-10.
16. Averaged freshman graduation rate for public high school students, by race/ethnicity: 2009–10 SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Dropout and Completion Data File," 2009-10.
17. Federal Policy Matters Prior to NCLB only 17 states tested every child every year in reading and math Now every state tests every child every year in reading and math and in a few states other subjects Sequestration
18. Federal Policy Matters Prior to NCLB only Texas disaggregated data by race & ethnicity, disability, income and language proficiency Now every state disaggregates and that is almost universally thought of as a good thing
19. Federal Policy Matters Prior to Title IX there were fewer opportunities for women and girls in competitive athletics No state had equal athletic opportunities for girls Almost no scholarships for women athletes
20. Federal Policy Matters Before 94-142 Education for All Handicapped Act – Now called IDEA 30 states had smaller versions of special education Now all 50 states have special education statutes that guarantee FAPE for all SWD
21. So, just how unpopular is Congress? byJed Lewison 3 Comments / 3 New So, just how unpopular is Congress really? Well, Congress is so unpopular that according to Public Policy Polling's latest national survey, head lice edge out the critters in Washington ... by 48 percent.
22. AASA National ConferenceLos Angeles - February 21-23 AASA TheSchool Superintendents Association
23. Thank YouQuestions?Want a copy?bhunter@aasa.org AASA TheSchool Superintendents Association