State Legislative Preview: 2012
Its that time of year again! We're actively tracking sessions across the country - some of the most active we've seen in years on the education front - and figured a quick summary might be helfpul to our clients and readers.
The following states are currently in session: Kentucky, Mississippi, Rhode Island and Vermont. U.S. Congress is also in session.
The following states are expected to convene for 2012 regular sessions on the dates provided: California, District of Columbia Council, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and New York (January 4); Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas and Washington (January 9); Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee (January 10); Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Virginia and West Virginia (January 11); Alaska, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin (January 17) and Hawaii (January 18).
Michigan and Ohio adjourned on December 28.
Massachusetts is expected to adjourn on January 3. New Jersey is in recess and is expected to adjourn on January 9.
Wisconsin residents’ statewide effort to force a recall election for Republican Gov. Scott Walker is still underway. According to an Associated Press report on FOX11, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate announced that the petitions to recall Governor Walker and Republican Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch will be turned in to election officials on January 17.
Connecticut is expected to hold a special election on January 10 to fill the state representative seat for the 24th District. The seat was left vacant following the resignation of Rep. Tim O’Brien. Representative O’Brien was elected mayor of New Britain in the November 8 municipal elections.
Of course, legislative activity is only one piece of the state policy and education reform puzzle. There is a ton of interesting activity taking shape on the executive branch side of state government over the next 30-60 days that will influence and inform the legislative process over the next 6-9 months.
New Jersey's college readiness task force, for example --which convened in October-- will wrap-up its worth in the next few weeks. We're watching this closely, as it may have implications for the assessment consortia. Like a lot of states, New Jersey faces a "gap year" - between the end of its current assessment contract, and when the consortia tests are expected to come online.
Likewise, look for Governor Walker in Wisconsin to introduce and education reform package stemming, in part, from their recently released K-3 reading report.
And in Idaho, we're carefully watching Tom Luna's task force, which wraps up later this month and will shape plans for the implementation of online course requirements, one-to-one mobile computing devices in high schools and a host of other topics.
Our analysis of last year's legislative sessions (shoot us a note, and we'll send you what we've got!) revealed a dramatic increase in the number of virtual education and competency-based learning bills introduced. This year, a number are being reintroduced and pre-filed. A few highlights from the last week include:
Virtual Education/Online Programs
Indiana SB 179, sponsored by Senate Education and Career Development Committee Chair Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn and Sen. Jim Banks, R-Columbia City, is scheduled for a first reading and referral to Chairman Kruse’s committee on January 4. The measure would require a student pursuing an accelerated Core 40 high school diploma to complete one virtual instruction course beginning with students entering grade nine in the 2013-2014 school year. Each school corporation or charter school would be required to provide at least three virtual courses meeting Core 40 course or credit requirements in which students are separated from their teachers by time or space, or both. The Board of Education would be required to adopt rules to administer the above requirements that address the following:
- Enrollment in virtual instruction courses.
- Alignment of virtual instruction courses with teacher evaluation requirements.
- Transfer of student performance data between the school corporation of residence and a virtual instruction course provider.
- Evaluating the impact of the requirements on student growth and performance.
- Teacher certification requirements.
The text of Utah HB 15, sponsored by House Majority Whip Greg Hughes, R-Draper, was made available on December 19, and would:
- Modify the Utah Performance Assessment System for students to require schools to administer computer adaptive tests aligned with common core standards by 2014.
- Eliminate an assessment system pilot program that required secondary students to take the ACT.
- Require the Education Board to make rules for applying for and awarding money for computer adapted tests and allocating money for computer adaptive tests.
- Make a $6.7 million appropriation for the above provisions to the Education Board from the education fund.
Competency-Based Learning
Washington HB 2209, sponsored by multiple representatives including House Education Appropriations & Oversight Committee Chair Kathy Haigh, D-Shelton, was pre-filed on December 15. The measure would define “contract-based learning program” to mean a program that serves students in grades 9-12 where students receive an average of at least five hours of classroom-based instruction per week. All instruction and activities in the student-learning plan must generate credits towards graduation. Contract-based learning under current law is defined as an alternative learning experience, which means a course or set of courses that is:
- Provided in whole or in part independently from a regular classroom setting or schedule, but may include some components of direct instruction.
- Supervised, monitored, assessed, evaluated and documented by a certificated teacher.
- Provided in accordance with a written student-learning plan.
- Provided online, through parent partnership programs, through contract-based learning programs or through other programs.
The measure would establish that part-time students who are enrolled in alternative learning experiences are not exempt from participating in statewide academic assessments in the same manner full-time students are. It would also exempt student enrollment in contract-based learning programs from statewide reductions for alternative learning programs for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years.