Education Legislation Update
www.EducationalFreedomCoalition.com
February 5, 2015
for the 9 12 Project
with Dr. Mary Kay Bacallao
MaryKayBacallao@hotmail.com
678-923-0597
Parents are responsible for
teaching their children, not the
government.
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and
mind... 19 Teach them to your children, talking
about them when you sit at home and when
you walk along the road, when you lie down
and when you get up.
Deuteronomy 10: 18-19
2015 marks the 50th year since the
inception of the U.S. Department of
Education. We proclaim 2015 as the
Year of Jubilee for American Children.
Leviticus 25:54-55
54 “‘Even if someone is not redeemed in any of
these ways, they and their children are to be
released in the Year of Jubilee, 55 for the Israelites
belong to me as servants. They are my servants,
whom I brought out of Egypt. I am the Lord your
God.
The founders of our country fought for
freedom, let us continue in the
freedom granted to us through divine
providence and intervention.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us
free. Stand firm, then, and do not let
yourselves be burdened again by a
yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
How does magic work?
• Distract, draw attention away from the action.
• Once attention is diverted, the magician can
perform the trick.
• Nobody will see it until it is too late.
How did Georgia lose Academic
Independence?
The National Governors Association Center for
Best Practices and the Council of Chief State
School Officers are the sole owners and
developers of the Common Core State Standards,
@Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Content is
aligned to the
five ELA
Common Core
GPS Strands
Content is
differentiated to
meet different
abilities and needs
(accommodations
for various
developmental
levels) without
introducing less
complex or lower
Lexile text.
Unauthorized
Reproduction of
Common Core GPS in
instructional materials
without permission.
(circle YES or NO)
Publishers may only
provide the official link
to the CCGPS:
www.georgiastandards.org
• GEORGIA STATUTES AND CODES
• § 20-2-141 - Review of competencies and core
curriculum
• O.C.G.A. 20-2-141 (2010)
The State Board of Education shall establish at least
once every four years a review of the adopted
competencies and uniformly sequenced core
curriculum by a task force broadly representative of
educational interests and the concerned public.
After considering the findings and recommendations of
the task force, the state board shall make such
changes in the student competencies lists and core
curriculum as it deems in the best interest of the state
and its citizens and shall report such proposed changes
to local school systems and the General
Assembly for review.
SRT Certificate
…completed all the requirements…but
have not met the experience requirements
for the Performance-Based Professional
Certificate or are not evaluated on the
statewide evaluation system.
Watch for changes in compensation through
Teacher Certification- tied to prescribed
content and methods.
Explicit Instruction- TKES and LKES
The State of Georgia is mandating failed instructional policies.
When I look at the current state mandated instructional policies, I can see several flaws right off
the bat. For example, the new “explicit instruction” model does not allow the students to think
on their own until the last stage. This kind of pedagogy would work well in totalitarian
governments, but you would not expect to see it here in America. It is now required as part of the
official state teacher observation system. Teachers will have to follow this anti-thinking procedure
to keep their state teacher certification. The required instructional format puts collaboration
before independent student thinking. The new initiatives claim to enhance critical thinking, but
they do the opposite because independent student thinking comes last, after the students have
talked about the answers as a group. Group consensus activities serve to make sure that
individual students do not question the ideas and concepts promoted through the government
standards. The “group” does the thinking for the entire class during the "collaboration" and "peer
tutoring" stages. Then students work on their own to sum up the thinking of the group. Authentic
problem solving, where students are required to think about and solve actual mathematical
problems on their own is eliminated. Instead, students practice mental gymnastics as they learn
how to add, subtract, multiply and divide in many different, unorthodox and inefficient ways.
They become mathematical “Jacks of all trades” and masters of none.
For more evidence of the new state required teaching methods, see: Explicit Instruction:
Effective and Efficient Teaching by Anita Archer and Charles Hughes
Instructional Coaches =
Task Masters for Explicit
Instruction
HB 897
No separate
content tests
Charter schools
No timely reports
State control
of Special Education
Testing
Career Clusters
No test waivers
Mandated
Unaccountable
Fee based
Online learning
SB 167
Criterion
Referenced
Assessments
Authority to Appointed
State BOE
State Mandated
Content
Standards
Math, ELA,
Science, Social
Studies
No More
Reading
Appointed
Content Standards
Advisory Council
No data
collection/sharing
(in certain
categories)
unless:
1. Explicitly
required by
federal law
2. For special
needs
students
HB 897
HB 897
HB 897
No separate
content tests
Charter schools
No timely reports
State control
of Special Education
Testing
Career Clusters
Homeschool
Mandated
Unaccountable
Fee based
Online learning
SB 167
Criterion
Referenced
Assessments
Authority to Appointed
State BOE
State Mandated
Content
Standards
Math, ELA,
Science, Social
Studies
No More
Reading
Appointed
Content Standards
Advisory Council
No data
collection/sharing
(in certain
categories)
unless:
1. Explicitly
required by
federal law
2. For special
needs
students
The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) reported on Sept. 18, 2014, that the
family was ordered to follow Common Core standards.
Scott Woodruff, senior counsel for HSLDA, responded to the district on behalf of the family.
He explained that requirements in the letter sent to the family were in contradiction to
current New Jersey homeschool law. Woodruff received a response from the district stating
that “should be guided by the New Jersey Common Core State Standards.”
This is going to be a continual problem for New Jersey homeschool families that wish to
avoid Common Core based curriculum and standards. New Jersey Law N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25
“requires that “every parent, guardian or other person having custody and control of a child
between six and 16 to ensure that such child regularly attends the public schools of the
district or a day school in which there is given instruction equivalent to that provided in the
public schools (underlined for emphasis) for children of similar grades and attainments or to
receive equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school.” New Jersey is in full
implementation of Common Core. The law leaves the door open for other school districts to
misinterpret the meaning of equivalent; just like the Westfield School District did.
Common Core is gradually creeping into homeschools across the country. Starting with
requiring equivalent curriculum or forcing students to take PARCC exams, more
states will implement rules impacting homeschoolers. New Jersey is just one state.
Arkansas may soon require homeschool students to take PARCC exams instead of the
current Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Without using Common Core aligned curriculum,
homeschoolers will be at a disadvantage on the required tests. Homeschool parents
should be aware of Common Core and PARCC and STAR testing. That is the only way to make
informed decisions about your child’s education.
HB 897
No separate
content tests
Charter schools
No timely reports
State control
of Special Education
Testing
Career Clusters
Homeschool
Mandated
Unaccountable
Fee based
Online learning
SB 167
Criterion
Referenced
Assessments
Authority to Appointed
State BOE
State Mandated
Content
Standards
Math, ELA,
Science, Social
Studies
No More
Reading
Appointed
Content Standards
Advisory Council
No data
collection/sharing
(in certain
categories)
unless:
1. Explicitly
required by
federal law
2. For special
needs
students
All this is happening
without legislative
authority
because
HB 897
DID NOT PASS.
Testing Changes
• All the tests will change.
• No more separate reading or writing tests
• Going from 5 days to 10 days of testing in grades
3-8:
2 days for math
2 days for science
2 days for social studies
3 days for language arts
• Grades 5 and 8 will be on the computer.
• High Schools are going from a 5 day testing
window to a 10 day testing window.
Value: 25%
Student Growth Percentiles =
Survival of the Fittest
(Most Compliant)
Teachers and Students
What is a Lexile?
What happened to reading grade levels?
Who owns the Lexile measure?
Who recommends books based on Lexile
scores?
MetaMetrics partnered with Curriculum Associates, an international company
The AP and IB Monopoly in Georgia
Legislation
Georgia citizens are outraged over the errors and mistruths in
the new AP (Advanced Placement) U. S. History course
materials. Rather than learning from primary source
documents as one would expect in advanced courses, the AP
related textbooks are inaccurate and biased. But our Georgia
legislators voted for the AP and IB (International
Baccalaureate) monopoly. HB 131, passed in 2013, adds
“rigor” requirements for the HOPE scholarship phased in over
3 years. The ONLY courses that fulfill this requirement in
English and History offered onsite in Georgia’s high schools
are AP or IB. Georgia legislators voted to give two private
companies authority over what Georgia’s advanced high
school students learn in History and English. The AP program
headquarters is located in the state of New York and the IB
program is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
Social Studies
• Document based questions
• Who chooses the documents?
• AP courses and throughout all grades as part
of common core social studies
Duncan Brownie Points
=
School Rating Scores
60 Achievement
25 Progress
15 Achievement Gap
Closure
10 Challenge
10 ED/EL/SWD
3.5 Exceeding
the Bar
Points for the lowest
quartile (25%) in each
school.
How?
Take the average score
of the lowest quartile.
Compare that score
with the average state
score.
Calculate the school’s
achievement gap.
Pick one or the other:
A. Points for closing the
gap.
OR
B. Points for small gaps.
CCRPI Value: 15%
Certain categories of students
count more than other
students because students can
be in more than one category.
Different target
expectations for each racial
group by subject area: For
Asians at
95.2 and Blacks at
81.9.
example:
The targets increase each
year, so the CCRPI
scores are made to
decline every year
regardless of
actual student
achievement.
Statewide Longitudinal Data System
Charter System
Complete career portfolio
by the end of 5th grade
College and Career
Academy
College and Career Ready Performance Index,
High School, Grades 9 - 12
CONTENT MASTERY (END of COURSE TESTS in some areas to be REPLACED by COMMON CORE ASSESSMENTS in 2014-15)
1.
Percent of students scoring at Meets or Exceeds on the Ninth Grade Literature End of Course Test (required participation rate ≥ 95%)
2.
Percent of students scoring at Meets or Exceeds on the American Literature End of Course Test (required participation rate ≥ 95%)
3.
Percent of students scoring at Meets or Exceeds on the Mathematics I/GPS Algebra (transitioning to CCGPS Coordinate Algebra) End of Course Test (required participation
rate ≥ 95%)
4.
Percent of students scoring at Meets or Exceeds on the Mathematics II/GPS Geometry (transitioning to CCGPS Analytic Geometry) End of Course Test (required
participation rate ≥ 95%)
5.
Percent of students scoring at Meets or Exceeds on the Physical Science End of Course Test (required participation rate ≥ 95%)
6.
Percent of students scoring at Meets or Exceeds on the Biology End of Course Test (required participation rate ≥ 95%)
7.
Percent of students scoring at Meets or Exceeds on the US History End of Course Test (required participation rate ≥ 95%)
8.
Percent of students scoring at Meets or Exceeds on the Economics End of Course Test (required participation rate ≥ 95%)
POST HIGH SCHOOL READINESS
9. Percent of graduates completing a CTAE pathway, or an advanced academic pathway, or a fine arts pathway, or a world language
pathway within their program of study
10. Percent of CTAE Pathway Completers earning a national industry recognized credential, or a passing score on a GaDOE recognized end of pathway assessment (operational
in 2014-2015)
11. Percent of graduates entering TCSG/USG not requiring remediation or learning support courses; or scoring at least 22 out of 36 on the composite ACT; or scoring at least
1550 out of 2400 on the combined SAT; or scoring 3 or higher on two or more AP exams; or scoring 4 or higher on two or more IB exams
12. Percent of graduates earning high school credit(s) for accelerated enrollment via ACCEL, Dual HOPE Grant, Move On When Ready, Early College, Gateway to College,
Advanced Placement courses, or International Baccalaureate courses
13. Percent of graduates earning 2 or more high school credits in the same world language (operational in 2013-2014)
14. Percent of students scoring at Meets or Exceeds on the Georgia High School Writing Test NO LONGER
15. Percent of students achieving
AVAILABLE
a Lexile measure greater than or equal to 1275 on the American Literature EOCT
16. Percent of EOCT assessments scoring at the Exceeds level
17. Student Attendance Rate (%)
GRADUATION RATE
18. 2011 4-Year Cohort Graduation Rate (%)
19. 2011 5-Year Extended Cohort Graduation Rate (%)
Exceeding the Bar:
VALUE 3.5%
a companion to the
College and Career Ready Performance Index for High Schools
In addition to the nineteen (19) items within the College and Career Ready Performance Index, high
schools may earn additional points for these supplemental indicators.
1.Percent of graduates taking a nationally recognized college entrance examination
2.Percent of graduates earning credit in a physics course
3.Percent of first time 9th grade students with disabilities earning 3 Carnegie Unit Credits in 3 core content areas (ELA, mathematics,
science, social studies)
4.Percent of first time 9th grade students earning 4 Carnegie Unit Credits in 4 core content areas (ELA, mathematics, science, social studies)
5.School has earned a Georgia Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Program Certification
6. Percent of English Learners with positive movement from one Performance Band to a higher Performance Band based on the ACCESS
for ELLs
7. *Percent of graduates completing a career-related Work-Based Learning Program or a career-related Capstone
Project (moves to face of CCRPI in 2016-2017)
8.
9.
Percent of students in International Baccalaureate High Schools (IB) completing IB Career-Related
Certificates (operational in 2012-2013)
School or LEA-defined innovative practice accompanied by documented data supporting improved student achievement: examples
include but are not limited to-participation in Charter System status, students enrolled in a Georgia College and Career
Academy, partner participation in Race to the TOP award, participation in Striving Reader initiative, participation in dual
language immersion program, participation in Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) and/or Mathematics Design
Collaborative (MDC), comprehensive implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) and/or Positive Behavioral
Interventions & Supports (PBIS)
10. School or LEA-defined interventions or practices designed to facilitate a personalized climate in the school: examples include but are
not limited to-comprehensive Teachers as Advisors program; comprehensive mentoring program; Positive Behavioral
Interventions & Supports (PBIS); service-learning programs; peer mediation; conflict mediation. (operational in 2013-2014)
To be considered at a later date for inclusion on the mandatory indicators or as an Exceeding the Bar indicator:
*Percent of tested students scoring at a proficient level on a Soft Skills Assessment (moves to face of CCRPI in 20142015) School’s average score on the Georgia Teacher Effectiveness Measurement
School’s average score on the Georgia Leader Effectiveness Measurement
College and Career Ready Performance Index,
Middle School, Grades 6 - 8
Percent of SWD
served in
general
education
environments
greater than
80% of the
school day.
Lexile scores
Percent of
students in
grades 1-5
completing the
identified
number of grade
specific career
awareness
lessons aligned
to Georgia’s 17
Career Clusters.
Work Based Learning sets up a
Fascist Educational System…
Here in Georgia!
Rep. Charles Gregory voted against this
bill. He was the only no vote.
Mandated Online Learning and Testing
for ALL students
without Safeguards
Illegal to delay or deny placement in special
education. The state seeks to extend this to
private schools. If you are in special education,
you do not need to know how to read because
the teachers are able to read the test to you.
Pearson Acquires ADHD Testing Company BioBehavioral Diagnostics
The Quotient ADHD Test offers physicians, mental health professionals and educators objective assessment of ADHD.
Bloomington, MN (PRWEB) August 27, 2013
Pearson today announced the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of the BioBehavioral Diagnostics Company (BioBDx), the developer and
the first U.S. FDA-cleared tool for the objective measurement of hyperactivity,
impulsivity and inattention as an aid in the assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The
Quotient ADHD Test provides quantitative analysis of motion, attention and shifts in
attention states, bringing a new level of rigor and reliability to ADHD diagnosis and
marketer of the Quotient® System,
remediation. Focusing on a highly
prevalent condition known to pose serious
challenges to educational outcomes, this acquisition marks a strategic entry into
healthcare markets for Pearson, the world leader in clinical and educational
assessment for learners.
The Quotient ADHD Test quantifies the severity of deficits in brain functions related to the symptoms of
ADHD and helps clinicians to accurately diagnose and efficiently manage the condition through
repeat assessments at critical decision points. The Quotient ADHD Test is currently used in
pediatric, neurology and psychiatry offices throughout the United States.
“We are taking immediate steps to strengthen support for current Quotient customers and expand our outreach to healthcare professionals,”
We also look forward to introducing the
Quotient ADHD Test to mental health and education professionals in both clinical
and school settings.”
said Aurelio Prifitera, President and CEO of Pearson Clinical Assessment. “
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/8/prweb11061295.htm
Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment -1974
Psychological testing in schools without parental consent has been
illegal since 1974.
(a) Inspection of instructional materials by parents or guardians All instructional materials,
including teacher’s manuals, films, tapes, or other supplementary material which will be used
in connection with any survey, analysis, or evaluation as part of any applicable program shall be
available for inspection by the parents or guardians of the children.
(b) Limits on survey, analysis, or evaluations No student shall be required, as part of any
applicable program, to submit to a survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals information
concerning—
(1) political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s parent;
(2) mental or psychological problems of the student or the student’s family;
(3) sex behavior or attitudes;
(4) illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
(5) critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family
relationships;
(6) legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers,
physicians, and ministers;
(7) religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student’s parent; or
(8) income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a
program or for receiving financial assistance under such program),
without the prior consent of the student (if the student is an adult or emancipated minor), or
in the case of an unemancipated minor, without the prior written consent of the parent.
What is planned for babies in Georgia?
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services
Kathleen Sebelius announced today that six additional states—Georgia, Kentucky,
Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont—will receive a total of $280 million in
grant awards from the 2013 Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) fund to
improve access to high-quality early learning and development programs throughout
their states. These six states join the 14 existing state grantees who secured funding in
the first two rounds, which began in 2011.
•Establishing culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate early
learning and development standards across all the essential domains
of school readiness for children from birth
•Ensuring
to kindergarten entry.
that quality program standards are applied to all
early learning programs in the state.
•Building and improving state Tiered Quality
Rating and Improvement Systems
designed to inform parents about the quality of early learning programs and drive
improvements to the quality of those programs.
•Promoting health and family engagement strategies.
Funding for the initiative is part of
the $51.7 million Race to the Top
Early Learning Challenge Grant
received last year by Bright from
the Start: Georgia
Department of Early Care and
Learning from the U.S.
Department of Education and the
U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
Early Education Empowerment
Zones, as defined in the state's grant
will be multi-county regions of the
state that are home to around
10,000 children under the age of
five. Each Early Education
Empowerment Zone will receive over
$1-million in targeted resources to
improve early childhood outcomes
in the region.
We need to have an
opt-in system, not
an opt-out system.
Dissertation Topic:
School Choice Plans
by
Mary Kay Bacallao
1996
Florida Atlantic
University
What is a Recovery School District?
• The bottom performing schools are taken over.
• Why? Because some zip codes do not deserve to
elect local school officials.
• Has this ever worked? NO, property values spiral
downward and crime increases as the students
are shipped off to other schools, most likely
operated by charter companies.
• These schools are even MORE accountable to the
U.S. DOE than locally governed schools.
Duncan Direct
= Charter Schools and Charter Systems
Fake Choice
• It does not matter what restaurant you go to…
Longhorn, the Rib Ranch or the Cherokee
Cattle Company.
• They will all serve McDonalds Happy Meals,
government issued.
• The teachers, the students, the leaders, the
buildings, and the charter companies may
change, but they will all be doing the EXACT
SAME THING: COMMON BORE.
How can Georgia get Academic
Independence?
DefenseAnticipated bills we need to stop:
1. Requiring Homeschoolers to identify with a district
2. Take away separate reading and writing tests, and the
high school graduation test
3. Expanding state standards to include science and social
studies
4. Teacher certification based on test results and statewide
teacher evaluation system tied to pay increases
5. Expanding online learning and eliminating safeguards
thereby creating a monopoly.
6. Funding for more charter schools, unaccountable to
voters, based on common core tests, done under the
guise of revising the outdated QBE.
7. Establishing state public/private partnerships (crony
capitalism or fascism)
8. Recovery school district legislation.
Offense
Pass these bills:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
A Georgia FERPA, otherwise known as the Hatch Amendment, protected
students from psychological testing and attitude based evaluations. We can
use the original FERPA wording and pass state level legislation to protect our
students from unapproved data tracking. (Parent’s Bill of Rights)
Elect the Commissioner and Board Members of the Professional Standards
Commission, responsible for teacher certification, they are currently
appointed by the Governor. Include term limits.
Elect the State Board of Education members. They are currently appointed
by the Governor. Include term limits.
Elect the Board of Regents, they oversee the state university system. They
are currently appointed by the Governor. Include term limits.
Ensure that the accreditation process is not subject to special interests
outside our state/country by passing a bill that ensures accreditation
agencies are subject to open records requirements, as directed and
managed by elected officials within Georgia.
Revise the school rating system so that is based on measurable academic
achievement in reading, math, writing, and science over multiple grades.
Remove authority over early learning programs (birth – 5) from the
Governor’s office and return it to the parents.
Shut down unelected councils that oversee charter schools and replace
them with locally elected officials.
Offense
Pass these bills:
9.
Pass legislation to ensure that unexpired terms and vacated positions of all
Georgia elected officials are filled with newly elected officials selected during
the next election cycle.
10. Remove rigor requirements from control by private authorities outside of Ga.
11. OPT IN instead of OPT OUT Parents need the right to refuse
standardized testing they do not agree with.
Currently many schools implement a one time blanket permission form at the
beginning of every school year or have an opt out policy. Both these policies have
proven problematic for parental rights. The former gives the parent no detailed
information about the programs, surveys, online studies, videos, etc. prior to the
parent giving permission. The former is problematic in that when an opt out form is
not returned it is considered to be de facto permission.
In order to ensure that parents are informed of what their children are exposed to
during the regular school day on the date this legislation goes into effect all surveys,
videos, online learning, and non-academic classes (i.e. drug and alcohol ed, sex ed,
positive behavior ed, death ed, etc.) will require a signature by the parents giving
permission for their child to participate. The parents will be given the opportunity
to review the survey questions, videos, online instruction, and non-academic
curriculum prior to giving their permission.
Offense
Pass these bills:
12.Local board members and local
superintendents need to be elected for a
balance of powers. This was the case prior
to 1984. This would require a change to the
Georgia Constitution.
RepealSB 410
This bill eliminates the direct reporting of student
achievement. The school ratings now reflect
achievement gap closure and "student progress."
However, "student progress," as this law has been
implemented, does not mean progress outside of
grade level expectations. School ratings now include
financial efficiency, resource efficiency, student
participation in standardized testing, student health
surveys, data on student behavioral and schoolbased relations, and teacher and parent surveys.
For the first time, actual student achievement
scores will not be reported directly.
RepealHB 131
Georgia citizens are outraged over the errors and mistruths in
the new AP (Advanced Placement) U. S. History course materials.
Rather than learning from primary source documents as one
would expect in advanced courses, the AP related textbooks are
inaccurate and biased. But our Georgia legislators voted for the
AP and IB (International Baccalaureate) monopoly. HB 131,
passed in 2013, adds “rigor” requirements for the HOPE
scholarship phased in over 3 years. The ONLY courses that fulfill
this requirement in English and History offered onsite in
Georgia’s high schools are AP or IB. Georgia legislators voted to
give two private companies authority over what Georgia’s
advanced high school students learn in History and English. The
AP program headquarters is located in the state of New York and
the IB program was founded in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland.
RepealHB 244
Teacher Evaluation System linked to Common Core
Implementation
This bill requires a state database of teacher performance
evaluations for local school systems and charter schools. The
ratings will be based on annual state assessments aligned with
state standards. The testing must count for at least 50% of the
evaluation. Student growth and academic achievement
measures are identified in the evaluation system, but the
student growth model is invalid as an academic measure
when the testing is grade level specific. Perception data and
documentation of practice measured using observation
rubrics by credentialed evaluators will also be used in the
evaluation of teachers. Principals will no longer be subject to
perception data obtained from teachers.
RepealHB 766 Work Based Learning
This bill expands work based learning,
eliminates the requirement that students be
compensated for their work, adds workers for
"government enterprise" and requires
"employability skill development," that targets
attitudes and beliefs, a psychological domain
that has traditionally been off limits without
parental consent in public education.
RepealHB 115
Passed in 2013 by Georgia's General Assembly,
this makes local school boards subject to
accreditation agencies outside our state. In
addition, attorney fees to defend local school
board members in issues involving accreditation
will be the responsibility of the local school
board member and cannot be paid with public
funds.
RepealHB 283
State over reach into local public schools is expanded
including the establishment of a statewide database
tracking teacher employment, incentives for principals to
participate in a statewide accountability system, training
requirements for state mandated performance
evaluations, required training for local board of education
members, technology upgrade requirements, price fixing
for online learning providers rather than instructors,
authority shared with charter agencies, the establishment
of a state office on charter school compliance, special
facilities funding for charters, provisions that charters
may use local school facilities free of charge, and the
establishment of a state run non-profit to promote
public-private partnerships (crony corporatism/fascism).
RepealHB 797
"The department shall assist in securing federal
and other institutional grant funds to establish
the commission." This commission is not
elected, but appointed. The charter school
commission is to, "conduct facility and
curriculum reviews." They are also to work with
local boards of education to utilize excess space
for charter schools. Locally elected officials and
citizens are bypassed in favor of appointed
commissioners.
RepealSB 289
This bill requires the State Board of Education to
establish rules and regulations that maximize online
learning. By 2015-2016, this bill requires the State
Board of Education to offer all end of course
assessments online. The online learning must be
approved by the appointed State Board of
Education. A local school system shall not prohibit
it, even if an equivalent class is offered in person.
The local school systems shall pay for it. Parents,
citizens and local officials are by passed with these
requirements.
RepealHB 400
Required career
pathways that must
be completed or
schools will not get
CCRPI points.
Counselors or
teacher “advisors”
must approve the
career plan.
RepealHB 84
Established a “code of ethics” for local board
members that limits their authority to address
citizen concerns and prevents them from
maintaining minority opinion views after the
local board votes. Local superintendents and
legislators do not have a “code of ethics” that
limits their authority.