Trio of education bills come to a head Thursday as deadlines loom
04/08/2015

 

Thursday will be a busy day for legislators hearing education related bills as the session winds down to its final weeks.

 

The House Education Committee is expected to proceed with SB 1 which will allow the State Board of Education to replace Superintendent Glenda Ritz as chair of the board. The Superintendent of Public Instruction has held the position of chair of the State Board of Education for more than 100 years. Legislators have had the opportunity to do this, including under Dr. Tony Bennett’s term, but haven’t until now. ISTA opposes this bill.

 

The Senate Appropriations Committee will release its version of the state budget, including a revised version of the school funding formula. The committee will address the issue of dramatic cuts for many urban and rural school districts. ISTA calls for a school funding formula that meets the needs of all public school children no matter their zip code. Legislators are urged to provide additional funding to provide supplemental assistance to students needing additional help rather than using funds to take over schools.

 

Lastly, the House Ways and Means Committee will hear SB 566, after delaying its reading today. We have some progress to report. Thanks to your efforts contacting House members either by email or phone, negotiations late today put this bill in a better place in terms of many of the union issues. Please keep up the good work and stay tuned!

 

Read More: ISTA 2015 Legislative Agenda