NCSBA Legislative Update – October 4, 2019

NCSBA Legislative Update – October 4, 2019

This Week at the Legislature

State Board of Education Confirmations

Governor Cooper’s appointments of Wendell Hall, Dr. Donna Tipton-Rogers, and J.B. Buxton to the State Board of Education were confirmed in a joint session of the General Assembly this Wednesday.

  • Wendell Hall of Hertford County will serve as a member at-large. Hall currently serves on the Hertford County School Board and the NC School Boards Association (NCSBA) Board of Directors. He previously served as the Interim Superintendent for Northampton County Schools, Warren County Schools and Weldon City Schools. He is also the only individual to serve as President of the NCSBA and the NC Association of School Administrators.
  • Dr. Donna Tipton-Rogers of Clay County will serve as a district 8 representative. Tipton-Rogers is the President and CEO of Tri-County Community College.
  • B. Buxton of Wake County will serve as a member at-large. Buxton is the founding principal of the Education Innovations Group. He has also worked as the deputy state superintendent of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

 

Budget Update

With the return of the legislature from their week-long break came the movement of three mini budget bills:

If these mini budget bills become session law, that would bring the total number to 12. Included in HB 387: Growing G.R.E.A.T. is $15M in appropriations to the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (G.R.E.A.T.) Fund for each fiscal year from 2019-20 through 2028-29 to increase broadband across the State, which should provide more internet access to students.

There is still the option of a Senate budget veto override, which Senate leader Phil Berger said would be carried out in accordance with Senate rules that require for at least 24 hours’ notice to the Senate minority leader. Senator Berger also announced this week that regardless of the budget situation and the House’s session schedule, the Senate plans to adjourn by October 31.

 

State Board of Education Meeting – October 2 & 3

This month’s State Board of Education meeting included presentations on a variety of topics, with a major focus on the Innovative School District (ISD). There was discussion on the Board’s push to remove the current requirement of five schools automatically being placed into the ISD this year, which would give the Board more flexibility in choosing qualifying schools. The monthly legislative update compared current ISD law to what is included in SB 522: Low-Performing Schools/Standard Student Conduct, which is currently in conference.

Board members were also presented with an evaluation of the implementation of the ISD at Southside Ashpole Elementary School in Robeson County. Although the school received an F school performance grade in its first year of the ISD, there were increases from both last year’s school performance grade and academic growth score. Progress and challenges from the 2018-19 school year were presented, along with changes implemented for the 2019-20 school year. The presentation also emphasized that the year one report and results are an evaluation of the first year of ISD implementation in a single school setting and not an overall evaluation of the ISD initiative. Click here to view the presentation.

Click here to access the Board’s meeting agenda and materials.

 

Economics and Personal Finance Course

Several attendees of NCSBA’s 2019 district meetings inquired about the progress of incorporating the Economics and Personal Finance (EPF) course graduation requirement included in HB 924: Teacher Contract Changes (S.L. 2019-82). Click here for an update from DPI on this requirement and the process for realigning the Social Studies Standard Couse of Study beginning with the 2020-21 freshman class.

 

 

 

Leanne E. Winner
Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6686

Bruce Mildwurf
Associate Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6692

Richard Bostic
Assistant Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6677

Rebekah Howard
Governmental Relations Research Specialist
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6688

North Carolina School Boards AssociationNCSBA Legislative Update – October 4, 2019