Weekly Legislative Update

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

On Tuesday and Wednesday, January 24 and 25, the Ways and Mean Public Education and Special Schools Subcommittee met to receive budget requests.   John de la Howe, SC School for the Deaf and Blind, Wil Lou Gray, Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics were the agencies that appeared before the committee.

 The House K-12 Education Subcommittee will meet next Wednesday, February 1, at 9:00 in the Blatt Building.

SENATE

The Senate K-12 Education Subcommittee met on Wednesday, January 25th, and reviewed the following bills and regulations:

S.107 (GED testing for Senior Citizens) The bill states that no time limit be imposed on senior citizens taking the GED.  The bill was carried over until more information is obtained or verified.  While a person with a documented disability can request additional time to take a test, age is not included in the list of what constitutes a disability.

S.511 (Cheerleading Requirements) The bill directs the SC High School League to only allow a student who is enrolled in a SC public or private school in grades nine (9) through twelve (12) to participate in any high school cheerleading program, including a competitive cheer program.  After much discussion, the bill was carried over in order to amend some language and allow the Senators to talk with school officials in their home districts.  Sen. Wes Hayes chairs the subcommittee.  The subcommittee members are Senators Matthews, Rankin, Fair, Peeler, Leventis, Grooms, Malloy, Lourie and Davis.

S.1001 (Equal Access to Interscholastic Activities for Military Children Act) The bill allows a child of an active member of the armed forces who attends school in a school district and lives with a resident of the district other than a parent of a child   pursuant to a power of attorney, court order, or military family care plan is entitled to participate in any interscholastic activity offered by the school regardless of whether the child ever resided in the district with a parent of the child.  After much discussion, the bill received a favorable report and will be sent to the full education committee.

State Board of Education Regulations (The regulations were reviewed and received a favorable report.)

Document 4199 (Adult Education Program) Replaces regulation 43-237.1 with is the adult education program.  The regulation change mirrors proviso 1A.39.  that deals with the appropriation of adult education funds in the EIA.  The proviso has been in existence for 2-3 years.

 Document 4200 (End-of-Course Test) Amends regulation 43-262.4 so that students who take two courses based on the same academic standards for which there is an end-of-course test would take the test for the first course and the score would count as 20% of the final grade.  If the student passes the first course, the second course would not be a gateway course for that student.  The students would not take an end-of-course test for the second course and the student’s final grade would be calculated without an end-of-course score.

Document 4208 (At-Risk Students) Amends regulation R.43.274.1, At-Risk Students, to change the South Carolina Department of Education’s acronym to SCDE, change the references to the statewide student information system from SASI to PowerSchool, and note the use of the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS), rather than PACT, as one of several assessments used to diagnose academic difficulties.

“First In Math” At Pine Tree Hill

I am unbelievably impressed with what Pine Tree Hill Elementary School is doing with the “First in Math” program.  “First in Math” is an interactive computerized program that allows students to work on math skills at increasing levels of difficulty and compete with students and schools througout South Carolina and the nation.  When I arrived at the school at about 7:20 this morning, two full computer labs of students were hard at work, and when it was time to their classrooms, the students wanted to keep going.  As of today, Pine Tree Hill is ranked fifth in the state, and I am confident that the Bullpups will be first before long.  I was really taken by the energy and enthusiasm of the students and staff.  Great stuff!!!

Thursday Evening Highlights

Had a truly enjoyable, and productive, Thursday evening….I got to spend some time at Lugoff Elementary School reading to students and their parents at “Campfire Reading Night.”  I got to read an “Amelia Bedelia” book.  I’ve loved that series since my own now grown kid was a first grader.  Kudos to the Lugoff Elementary team for putting together a fun family activity that focuses on reading!!!

Also had great meeting with Parent Cabinet, a group of parents representing all of our schools.  I got some very insightful comments about the budget and legislation impacting education that is being considered by the General Assembly.  Thanks to Baron DeKalb Principal Betty Turner for allowing us to have the meeting at her school.

“Hooked On Politics”

Thanks and kudos to Teacher Forum for bringing Kathy Maness of the Palmetto State Teacher’s Association to Kershaw County this past Tuesday afternoon to talk about the impact of the political process on education.  A good-sized audience of teachers was present, and I believe they got a very accurate picture of the issues under consideration at the General Assembly that have tremendous implications for public education in our state, including budget, the retirement system, school choice/tax credits, merit pay, and a number of other areas.  The point that Ms. Maness made time and again was the importance of contacting legislators about areas of concern and interest.  Teacher Forum will be meeting with members of our local delegation on February 9, and this session was excellent preparation.

Pine Tree Hill In The State Newspaper

A very cool article in this morning’s State newspaper about forensic science unit at Pine Tree Hill Elementary.  Kudos to PTH teacher Nicole Ritchie for making this happen!!!!

http://www.thestate.com/2012/01/25/2126706/solving-crime-one-desk-at-a-time.html

 

 

Camden High Teacher Cadets

I was tremendously pleased to be able to attend the graduation ceremony for the Camden High Teacher Cadets on Monday evening.  The student projects related to the semester’s work were of extremely high quality, and it was inspiring to hear the students talk about the respect they for teaching they had gained through their experience in the class.  Teacher Meredith Kirkland has done an excellent job of building this program, and her passion for the program and for the students in it is obvious.

Dr. Lisa Shannon Honored

It was exciting for me to learn over the weekend that Dr. Lisa Shannon, Principal of Pine Tree Hill Elementary, has been chosen as the South Carolina International Reading Association (SCIRA) “Administrator of the Year.”  Lisa’s strong work at Pine Tree Hill in the area of literacy has already been recognized through the school’s being named as a “Distinguished Title I School” this past fall.  This is outstanding news for Dr. Shannon, for Pine Tree Hill, and for our community!!

LEHS Golfer Honored

Kelli Murphy, a sophomore at Lugoff-Elgin High has been named to the All-Carolinas Junior Golf Team for 2011. Murphy joins three time Carolinas Player of the year, McKenzie Talbert, a junior at Strom Thurmond High in North Augusta, and second time All-Carolinas honoree, Sarah Bae, a junior at Athens Drive High in Cary, NC, to the three member team.  It is no small feat to be recognized as one of the top three golfers in the Carolinas.  Congratulations!

Weekly Legislative Update

Governor Haley gave her State of the State address on Wednesday evening and only mentioned two things concerning education.  She talked about giving additional money to charter schools and looking at a different delivery system for student bus transportation.   Another issue that she mentioned as one of her priorities is the overhaul of the state retirement system. 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

On Tuesday and Wednesday, January 17 and 18, the Ways and Mean Public Education and Special Schools Subcommittee met to receive budget requests.   First Steps, South Carolina Public Charter School District and ETV were the agencies that appeared before the committee.

On Wednesday, January 18^th the Retirement Ad Hoc Study Committee met and heard from the representative of GRS (pension advisors) on their analysis of the proposed recommendations to the SC Retirement System. Apparently, the two main issues with the proposed changes deal with the year and age requirement (30 years AND   62) and COLA’s.  While no formal action was taken at this time, the committee did request that the advisors provide a cost estimate for both proposals (limiting the 30 years and 62 to new hires) and recommend a design for annual pension increases (COLA’S) that would largely hinge on investment income.    The advisors hope to have the new information back to the committee within two weeks.  We will continue to follow the progress of the proposals.

On Thursday, the full Ways and Means Committee met heard presentations from the following agencies:

Board of Economic Advisors-Revenue and Economic Outlook
The Lottery Commission
Dept. of Education
Dept. of Corrections
Comm. on Higher Education
Tax Relief Trust Fund
Dept. of Transportation
Health and Human Services
SC Technical College System
Debt Service
Capital & General Reserve Funds

This is the first time that the agencies have presented their budgets before the full committee.

SENATE

The Senate Education Committee met on Wednesday, January 18, at 10:00 AM, and Dr. Zais addressed the committee.  His comments mirrored his presentation to the Ways and Means Subcommittee last week and the full committee on Thursday.  In outlining his priorities, he requested $14.5 million in “new” dollars to maintain the base student cost (BSC) at the current funding level of $1880.  The BSC, if fully funded, should be $2,790.  In order to fund at the level required by law would cost an additional $600 million.  Dr. Zais also requested 3 additional requests:

• $5 million for transportation (fuel and parts)
• $36 million for new buses
• Replace an estimated $56 million in nonrecurring funds with recurring general fund dollars through cost savings (cuts) or funding shifts.

Dr. Zais also presented to the committee his recommendations for the ESEA waiver from the US Department of Education.

The Senate is currently debating the bills and amendments related to establishing an Office of Administration.  It is our understanding that when they are finished with that debate, they will take up H.3241 (Charter Schools).

Camden High Basketball Coach Honored

Congratulations to Camden High School basketball coach Ron McKie, who has been selected as the head coach for the South Carolina versus North Carolina basketball game.  A tremendous honor for Coach McKie!!