Controversy, filibusters and cloture votes filled the final two days of the 2016 Regular Legislative Session. Intense activity behind the scenes determined which issues would see the light of day.

School leaders block virtual school push for profit; Session Ends

Controversy, filibusters and cloture votes filled the final two days of the 2016 Regular Legislative Session.

Intense activity behind the scenes determined which issues would see the light of day. Heavy negotiation involved scheduling bills for debate as lawmakers watched the clock approach the final midnight hour. On that score, school leaders succeeded in convincing lawmakers to block the vendor-driven virtual schools bill and it died on the final day of the session.

 

Local board voices help stop virtual bill

When lawmakers had to choose between a vendor-pushed proposal or protecting students in virtual learning, local advocacy won the day.S.229 was not picked for the final House agenda. But behind closed doors, vendor lobbyists nearly succeeded in placing the bill on a special agenda intended only for “state agency” legislation. When AASB alerted members, school leaders quickly took action.The SDE, principals and teachers also objected. Thanks to school boards’ consistent communication with lawmakers, S.229 did not survive the session.

Proponents tried but failed to create an easier path to create statewide mega-virtual schools through a local system.The technical ploy to call it “clarifying” legislation failed. It failed because local leaders exposed an intent to replicate the national failing for-profit model.It failed because school boards recognized the bill could pit local school systems against one another battling for student funding in conflict with coordinating services for students.

The victory means Alabama school superintendents don’t have to worry about slick marketing and recruiting campaigns, but can focus on prioritizing students and building best practices for online learning.Alabama has multiple school systems already providing innovative and successful online programs.Many more opportunities will become available for students to have a strong virtual school experience.With that opportunity comes great responsibility and accountability.Your work will fulfill current law requirements and becomes effective in the upcoming school year.

 

Special session expected

Without passage of the prison construction bill or the BP settlement bill, all signs point to Gov. Bentley calling a special session. The BP settlement offered to repay the General Fund debt, fund coastal road projects and provide funding to partially offset an $85 million deficit for state Medicaid. Meanwhile, the $800 million prison construction bill had been pared down to a $550 million bond issue before it died. Bentley indicated he is inclined to call a special session to address Medicaid and prison overcrowding, but would not call it anytime soon.

Special sessions must be called by the Governor’s proclamation. A special session is limited to 12 legislative days within a 30 calendar day timeframe. If any legislation is considered outside of the Governor’s proclamation or “call,” it requires two-thirds vote to be approved in each Chamber to be enacted.

 

Bills Pending Governor’s Signature

 

H.168 (Warren) — Age of Enrollment — would require a child to turn six on or before Dec. 31 to start first grade. This legislation extends the timeframe from the current date of on or before Sep.1 and would become effective upon the governor’s signature.

H.170 (Patterson)— Competitive Bid Law—would increase the length of time to contract for purchases or contractual services from three to five years. Additionally, the law would allow purchases under a General Services Administration contract and nationwide cooperative purchasing program.

H.218 (Drake) — 3rd Grade Cursive —would put in statute that elementary instruction must include cursive writing by the end of third grade. The requirement already is in the state’s adopted education standards.

H.238 (Collins) — Inappropriate Contact — would create a Class A misdemeanor for transmission of obscene material or soliciting sexual contact between a school employee and student; and classify sexual contact by a school employee as a Class C felony. Note — incorrectly listed as no chance of passage in last edition.

S.11 (Allen) — Youth Suicide Prevention — would create the “Jason Flatt Act” to require annual training for certificated school personnel in suicide awareness and prevention. The bill incorporates the state’s current law and requires the state Department of Education to create an advisory committee.

 

Bills that Died

 

H.47 (Poole) — Warrantless Arrests — would authorize law enforcement with reasonable cause to arrest a person without a warrant for trespassing on school property.

H.125 (Collins) — Longitudinal Data System— would create an office for the state to aggregate data from multiple sources for pre-K, K-12, postsecondary and higher education and the workforce; would require a statewide definition for remediation.

H.466 (Williams, P.) — Retirement Contributions — would require education employees hired beginning Jan. 1, 2017, to contribute monthly to individual retirement accounts and provides opt-out provisions.

S.61 (Shelnutt) — Professional Educator Associations — would grant all professional educators’ associations same level of access to employees of public schools.

S.83 (Orr) — Gifted and Talented — would authorize the state Department of Education to offer competitive two-year grants to fund educational programs for gifted and talented children. The funding for the bill are incorporated in the approved budget.

 

 

2016 Enactments

Look for a summary of education-related enactments by the end of May.

 

Adjourned

Sine Die

 

The 2016 Regular

Legislative Session

has ended.

 

 

Lissa Tucker, AASB Director of Governmental Relations

www.AlabamaSchoolBoards.org