|
AAPTA Legislation Corner
Welcome
to Austin Academy’s PTA Legislation Corner for the 2006 – 2007 school year. Another summer break is behind us
and everyone is geared up for back to school. As your AAPTA Legislative Chairman,
one of my primary responsibilities is to uphold the 3rd objective of PTA: "To secure adequate laws for the care and protection
of children and youth". In support of this objective, I will use our website to post local, state and national legislation
information affecting the education, health, or welfare of our children and youth. I hope that you find this site informative
and beneficial. I urge every parent and community member to get involved in legislation affairs that affect our children
and community. Our children alone are reason enough to drive us towards being strong advocates for their education and
well-being. Please take the time to visit this site and related links and stay informed on issues impacting our children.
I encourage each parent to contact your local, state and federal legislative representatives to let them know that education
should be a top priority.
Local Educational
News
Dr.Curtis Culwell addresses "State of the District"
On Wednesday September 6th, 2006, Garland ISD Superintendent, Dr. Curtis Culwell, addressed the "State
of the District" before the GISD Council of PTAs. As in years past, Dr. Culwell’s speech was informative and well received.
He touched on many key areas and articulated the vision and goals for GISD moving forward. Highlights of his speech included:
GISD experienced low enrollment growth for the first time in many years:
o This is seen as a positive because it allows the District to catch up with many of the logistical
complexities affecting the District;
o The District is in good shape with a few more new school construction projects planned and renovations
at others.
GISD experienced strong test scores:
o State 2006 TAKS scores reflect positive overall improvements;
o SAT scores higher than the State averages and better or equal scores than the National averages;
o SAT math scores up 6 points.
GISD Student Performance Standards and Expectations:
o Strong emphasis on teaching and instruction at the Commended Level because this is where
students need to be in order to succeed at the collegiate level – minimal performance will be a thing of the past;
o Challenges will be plugging in students that have not been part of the GISD learning system.
GISD Math and Science:
o Math and Science is still a challenge and a big issue across the nation;
o Efforts on finding more Math and Science teachers.
GISD Glitches:
o District affected by many power outages causing school operational disruptions;
o Working with officials on contingency and priority plans for dismissal of high school students
when warranted;
o Elementary and Middle Schools present more logistical issues when it comes to early dismissals
during these situations – GISD regards the safety & welfare of all students a priority.
GISD Losses:
o District experienced 8 teen fatalities in the last six months and will promote more awareness
programs.
Legislative:
o State legislators are taking local control away from school districts – school boards
should be making local school decisions;
o Vote in the upcoming November elections.
Message to Parents:
o Volunteer because "People distinguish school districts from one another";
o Be informed, Be active, Stay engaged.
Closing Remark:
o "Not all kids are Gifted but they are all Blessed!"
Texas Education Agency
Releases 2006 TAKS Results
August brought the release of statewide TAKS results as announced
by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Austin Academy for Excellence was rated "Recognized"! This rating
is the result of outstanding work by students and staff alike. Congratulations for a job well done. A
profile of the 2,825 "Recognized" campuses in Texas is as follows: (source: TEA website www.tea.state.tx.us )
- 1 73% Elementary
- 2
18% Middle Schools
- 3
6% High Schools
- 4
3% Mmulti-level Schools
Garland Independent School District (GISD) received an overall "Academically Acceptable" rating. A summary of GISD accountability
ratings is as follows:
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Academically Unacceptable
|
|
AEA: Academically Acceptable
|
|
AEA: Academically Unacceptable
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
71
|
|
|
|
The State of Texas received an overall rating of "Academically Acceptable"
GISD High School Scheduling Sub-Committee
The GISD Board of Trustees is evaluating the issue of adopting a single class schedule method for all seven GISD High Schools.
Currently, 5 schools run on an alternating schedule (A/B or Block) and 2 schools run on the daily trimester schedule. The
Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Curtis Culwell, ordered this review as part of the Districts periodic review of its processes
for operating the District. At the June 15th regular meeting of the Board of Trustees, a sub-committee led by Steve Baker
and Marlene Hammerle presented the pros and cons of each scheduling method as part of their investigations and more reports
are scheduled before the Board makes a final decision later this year.
The question of scheduling has supporters on both sides and that was
very evident at the June 15th meeting where teachers, parents and students addressed the board. At this session, there was
strong opposition to do away with the current block scheduling method at Garland High School (GHS). There is unanimous consent
that the IB, AP and Performing Arts Endorsement programs at GHS would be seriously impacted if the District did away with
block scheduling. I urge all Austin Academy parents to become familiar with the high school scheduling issue, understand the
impact and let the school board know your position. The Board is expected to render a decision later this year.
State Educational News
Property Tax Cut and Public School Finance Bill (House Bill 1)
The
79th Legislature, 3rd Call Session, passed legislation related to public school finance, property tax relief, public school
accountability and other matters. The final bill was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry on May 31st 2006. Although this
bill fell short of school finance reform, the highlights of the bill are as follows:
-
Reduce school property taxes by a third, to no more than $1 per $100 of property valuation. School districts could
raise rates 4 cents this year for local programs.
-
Ease "Robin Hood" requirements, letting wealthy districts keep more property tax revenue but also increase guaranteed
state aid for lower-wealth school districts.
-
Provide teachers a $2,000 pay raise, including restoration of a $500 health insurance stipend.
-
Set the fourth Monday of August as the mandatory start date for classes, beginning in 2007.
-
Create a new incentive pay program for teachers.
-
Make students take four years of math and science to graduate.
(highlights source: article dated 5/31/06 by Gromer Jeffers Jr. / The Dallas Morning News / permission to cite granted
by the DMN)
Remember to Register to Vote, Then, GO Vote!
November 7th is Election Day. The last day to register and vote for this
election is October 10th. Early voting begins October 23rd. For information on voting, election details or candidate
information visit the following links:
http://vote-smart.org
http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/2006_primary.shtml
http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml
Are you satisfied with the way Texas funds its schools? If you are, get out and vote
to keep your current representatives in place. If you are not satisfied with the way Texas funds its schools, get out and
vote for change! Do not forget about your representatives at the national level. They are up for elections as well. If you
want changes, then you must be heard. Your vote is your voice!
National Education
News
Fiscal Year 2007 Education Funding
The National PTA is exceptionally disappointed in congress's failure to provide
adequate funding to prepare our children for work in the 21st century. We commend congress for providing substantial increases
in education since 2001. The past two years, however, have witnessed an encroachment on those increases. The Labor-HHS-Education
spending bills currently under consideration by congress would actually reduce the federal investment in education for the
first time in the 27-year history of the Department of Education.
Cutting funding
from critical education and child welfare programs is shortsighted and just plain wrong. Investing in America's children is
an investment in both the current and future economic well-being of our nation. PTA members are encouraged to contact their
senators and representatives to tell them that congress must provide appropriate funding for the education and welfare of
America's children. When it comes to preparing the nation's children for the competitive workforce, there is no better investment
than education and families.
Public
Schools Outperform Private Schools, New Study Says
On Tuesday, July 14, the U.S. Department of Education released a study comparing mean 2003 National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) reading and mathematics scores of public and private schools in 4th and 8th grades. (The mean is the average
value of a set of numbers.) The study found that when scores are adjusted for socioeconomics, race, and other characteristics,
public school students do as well or better in some categories as students in private schools.
When school means were adjusted, the average for public schools was significantly higher than the average for private
schools for grade 4 mathematics and not significantly different for reading. At grade 8, the average for private schools was
significantly higher than the average for public schools in reading but not significantly different for mathematics.
The executive summary, along with the entire report, is available on the National Center for
Education Statistics website.
President Signs Law Toughening Sentences for Child Predators
On Thursday, July 27, President George W. Bush signed into law the Adam Walsh Child
Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (H.R. 4472). The legislation is intended to toughen sentences
for child predators and improve the tracking of child sex crime offenders. The legislation requires states to maintain on
the Internet publicly accessible registries of offenders. It also directs the Justice Department to maintain a national offender
database and to make failure to register a felony. The legislation was signed into law on the 25th anniversary of the abduction
of Adam Walsh, the son of America's Most Wanted host John Walsh.
Under the new law, sex offenders will be required to provide DNA samples and have frequent in-person verification
of where they live and work. Offenders who fail to register or to update their registration information could face a 10-year
prison term; if they commit a violent crime while registered, they face a five-year minimum prison term. Other new mandatory
sentences include a 10-year minimum sentence for those convicted of causing serious bodily injury to a child or of using a
weapon to attack a child, and a 30-year minimum sentence for those convicted of having sex with a child younger than 12 or
sexually assaulting a child between the ages of 12 and 16.
The law also increases mandatory minimum sentences for coercing or enticing a child to have sex, transporting
a child to engage in criminal sexual activity, sexual exploitation of a child, and sex trafficking of children. The law directs
the U.S. Marshals Service to apprehend unregistered sex offenders, and creates an office in the Justice Department to monitor
and track sex offenders.
(source: National PTA, compilation articles from "This Week in Washington" newsletter; used with
permission)
|
