Farrow, Vukmir Respond to Evers on Common Core
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 21, 2014
In response to State Superintendent Ever’s opposition (and by extension the SAA’s opposition as well) to SB 619, the legislation that would dramatically change and politicize the way we develop educational standards in Wisconsin, the bill’s authors (Senators Farrow and Vukmir) have launched even more inflammatory rhetoric into the debate.
See Farrow Letter to Evers.
See Vukmir Press Release.
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SB 271: On to the Governor’s Desk
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 21, 2014
In floor action yesterday, the Assembly concurred in the Senate’s passage of Senate Bill 271, relating to privately-contracted special education substitute teachers and para-educators.
In recent years, increasing numbers of Wisconsin school districts have turned to contracting for substitute teacher and para-educator placements with private staffing services. However, school districts cannot currently receive state special education aid for the costs of contracting with a staffing service for special education substitutes. Senate Bill 271, authored by Senator Olsen and Representative Kestell with the SAA’s support, solves this problem by explicitly authorizing school districts to contract with staffing services and makes the costs eligible for special education aid.
Special thanks go to Senator Olsen and Representative Kestell for bringing the legislation forward and for allowing the SAA to participate in the bill development process.
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Walker Staff Created Bill Aimed at Common Core
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 21, 2014
A bill that could halt the implementation of more rigorous and nationally aligned reading and math academic standards in Wisconsin’s public schools was written for state lawmakers by Gov. Scott Walker’s staff, new documents show.
Drafting notes for the academic standards bill that’s been hotly contested this week reveal that the governor’s office initiated the proposal and tweaked it for weeks before forwarding it to senators such as Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) to introduce.
That the governor supported the bill was already known; that his office created it was not. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel received the drafts through an open records request.
Read the full story from Journal Sentinel here.
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180-Day Bill Clears Assembly, Senate Committees
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 20, 2014
In committee votes this morning, SAA-supported legislation to remove the 180-day requirement (SB 589 and AB 749, as amended) passed both the Senate and Assembly Education Committees unanimously. The companion bills now move on for floor votes in their respective houses.
See John Forester’s testimony here.
The SAA will keep you updated on further developments on this legislation.
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Common Core, School Accountability, and Special Needs Voucher Bills Pulled From Committee Action
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 20, 2014
The Assembly Education Committee was slated to vote on five bills this morning at 9:00 a.m. in the State Capitol. However, Chairman Steve Kestell (R – Elkhart Lake) postponed the vote on AB 379 (School Accountability), AB 682 (Special Needs Vouchers), and AB 617 SSA1 (Common Core legislation that would radically change the way educational standards are developed in Wisconsin). We anticipate the Committee will consider these bills in the not-too-distant future.
Why the postponement? All I can say is the end of the legislative session is always a time of chaos, uncertainty and enormous fluidity. This session feels worse than those of the recent past simply because so many important K-12 education issues are under the microscope and still in play.
Please keep communicating with your legislators regarding our opposition to the Common Core legislation (AB 617 SSA1 and SB 619).
Stay tuned.
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