| NCATA Legislative Update April 27, 2019 New & exciting news in late April! |
| GREAT NEWS for NCATA!!! The House version of the budget includes two new Regional Coordinators and $500K for NC FFA Center! Please read the full report from our lobbyist, Bryan Holloway. Bryan has been working hard in the Legislature for us. We appreciate this great news and look forward to seeing these priorities through the entire process in the months ahead! Update from Mr. Bryan Holloway for late April 2019: On April 26th, the North Carolina House released its version of the Education budget. I’m proud to inform you that our priority to add two new coordinator positions at North Carolina State University is included in the budget. Our second priority to allocate funds to the FFA Camp at White Lake is also in the House Budget. Their budget allocates 500k to the camp in the capital portion of the budget. Today was a big day for agriculture education in North Carolina. The legislative budget will continue, and now the House has announced that they hope to have their budget completed by May 5, 2019. Remember, this is not the final version, and the Senate will follow with their version hopefully by the first of June 2019. Then, both bodies will create a compromise budget meshing elements of both budgets. However, it is anticipated that the governor will veto the b udget. Without supermajorities in the legislature, it could be late this f all before a budget is finally agreed upon. NCATA will keep you posted on our progress. Recent Education Action SB 580: Classroom Supplies to Teachers This program proposal would allow classroom teachers across the state to spend up to $400.00 on classroom and instructional materials. Concerns have been raised by LEAs regarding district allocations of supply funds. However, from what NCATA is learning, legislative leaders are planning to allocate new monies to the LEA allotments for supplies and materials. NCATA will keep you posted as this develops. Excellence in Public Schools Act and Read to Achieve Senate Bill 438 was introduced, and it addresses some perceived deficiencies with the original Read to Achieve Act passed in 2013. After analyzing data, Senate leadership has decided to target current problems with the law. This Act would seek to implement Summer Reading Camps and offer targeted staff development to meet students’ needs and to improve 3rd grade reading proficiency. The Act utilizes current and past performance data to adjust the program to meet current student needs. Bills that Passed the House House Bill 377 This bill, which passed the House and now moves to the Senate, eliminates K-8 EOG tests and allows shorter “check in” tests during intervals in the school year. For high school testing, the NC Final Exam would be eliminated, and the ACT would be utilized to measure student growth and ensure school accountability..House Bill 315 passed the House and provides LEAs with discretionary flexibility on how instructional monies are spent and on which platforms instructional materials are delivered (instructional technology, textbooks, etc.). In addition, the bill provides parental review of instructional materials selected by districts. HB 184: Study State Health Plan Design This bill allows lawmakers to study and review the State Health Plan and identify areas for improvement and modernization including goals-based incentives for providers and members and healthy lifestyle promotion. In addition, the bill will examine the needs and concerns of stakeholders in the State Health Plan. HB 354 (=H313) Modify Weighting/School Performance Grades. This bill would change how performance grades are calculated. Presently, grades calculate 80 percent from proficiency and 20 percent from growth. The new proposal would calculate 50 percent for proficiency and 50 percent for growth. HB 362 (=H145) 15-Point Scale For School Performance Grades. This bill would keep the 15-point scale for performance grades for schools as opposed to moving to the 10-point scale which was the most recent current law. HB 266 School Annual Report Card.This bill separates grades for school achievement and school growth. This bill would create a 15-point grading scale measuring school achievement and would utilize a 10-point scale, based on EVASS standards, to measure school growth. House Bill 79 Academic Alignment/Boards of Education & CC. This bill would allow for some scheduling flexibility and let local school boards align their schedules with the community college system. House Bill 276 Modify Low-Performing School Definition. This bill would remove the language of “low performing school” while modifying the definition using revised measurements. If a school has met expected growth, it will not be classified as “low performing.” Education Bills in CommitteeHouse Bill 275 (=S189) CTE Pilot for Guilford Co. Schools.This Pilot proposal, specific to Guilford county, would allow traditional high schools to host the Innovative Signature Career Academy Program. As of 3/26/19, this measure has been referred to the House Committee on Finance and has not seen action since. Senate Bill 134 Economics & Financial Literacy Act. This bill would mandate that students in high school complete an Economics and Financial literacy type course as a requirement for graduation. In addition, staff development opportunities would be extended for teachers in the content area. This bill has not seen action since April 3rd and is currently in the Senate Committee on Appropriations/Base Budget. House Bill 199 H199 This bill would provide funding to Charter Schools to meet student transportation needs and will allow qualifying schools to receive reimbursement for up to 65 percent of their transportation costs. This bill was referred to the House Committee on Appropriations on 4/9/19. |
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