Education News in Alabama

October 18, 2004 (archive)

STATE NEWS
Special Session Looming
It appears that Governor Bob Riley will call a five-day special session in early November to address the rising costs of health care. State spending for health insurance for teachers and other state employees has almost tripled in the past six years, going from $320 million to $970 million. A Riley-appointed blue ribbon task force on health care worked for four months to come up with modest recommendations that will save about $50 million in health insurance costs. The recommendations include charging smokers an extra $19 per month and increasing premiums for retired employees who leave state service with fewer than 25 years. The revisions have the support of the Public Education Employees Health Insurance Board and are expected to gain support from the State Employees Insurance Board.

Education Budget Proposal for FY 2006 Near Completion
Growth in tax revenues has produced an increase in the Education Trust Fund for the fiscal year just ended (FY 2004). Several key factors have a major bearing on development of the FY 2006 budget: how the legislature deals with the estimated $150 million "balance" in the FY 04 budget, the rate of actual growth versus budget for FY 05, and the projected revenue estimates for FY 06 by the Legislative Fiscal Office and the Finance Director. Growth above 3.5% will trigger the Teacher Pay Raise Bill, capturing 62% of growth for salary increases. However, State Department of Education officials have outlined several pressing needs in K-12 in addition to pay raises and the rising costs of benefits ($133 million increase in benefits for FY 06). Major requests in the initial budget proposal for the State Board of Education are $15 million to continue expansion of the Alabama Reading Initiative; $15 million to begin statewide replication of the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative; $20 million to reach SACS accreditation standards for principals, counselors and librarians; and $7 million to purchase new textbooks.

A+ NEWS
A+ And The Peabody Center For Education Policy Release the Alabama Education Policy Primer
At long last, Alabama has its very own education policy primer. In order to provide a resource that can define and organize education issues, the A+ education foundation partnered with the Peabody Center for Education Policy at Vanderbilt University to produce the Alabama Policy Primer: A Guide to Understanding K-12 Schools.

Made possible by generous contributions from EBSCO media and State Farm Insurance, the primer consists of 12 easy-to-use chapters that provide research-based information on and analysis of the education issues facing the state. It is designed to answer frequently asked questions about Alabama’s k-12 education system.

Printed copies of the primer will be distributed to state policymakers and members of the print and broadcast media. Future plans include candidate training and distribution to members of Leadership Alabama, PTA presidents, local school boards and superintendents. This useful resource is posted on the A+ website. If you are interested in obtaining a hard copy, please send your request to jennifer@aplusala.org.

A+ Publishes Policy Brief On Teacher Compensation
Teacher compensation is an important education issue in Alabama and across the nation. How much and in what manner teachers are paid is a policy issue that has a direct impact on student achievement. The most recent A+ policy paper, “Exploring Aligned Teacher Compensation,” discusses the following:

• Actions taken by Alabama, other states, and districts across the country to broaden the concept of teacher compensation and align compensation with education goals
• Steps can be taken to create policies that lead to a more effective and professional manner of compensating teachers
• Alabama teachers' attitudes toward different approaches to compensation as reported in a recent survey by the Alabama Education Association’s Capital Survey Research Center.

A+ hopes this brief will spark meaningful conversations and actions among educators, policymakers, business and community leaders, and members of the news media. We are especially grateful to the Southeast Center For Teaching Quality for their assistance in developing this report, which can be downloaded at http://www.aplusala.org. It is the first item in the Notable Publications section on the homepage. If you are interested in obtaining a hard copy, please send your request to jennifer@aplusala.org.

"No Child Left Behind" Communications Workshop
On September 14, A+, the Alabama Best Practices Center, the Business Round Table, the Alabama School Communicators Association, and the Council For Leaders In Alabama’s Schools sponsored a communications workshop on the federal "No Child Left Behind" Act (NCLB). More than 60 reporters, school communicators, and superintendents registered for the workshop, which focused on the intent of NCLB to raise student achievement in an effort to encourage participants to sort through the pros and cons of the legislation.

Jay Mathews with "The Washington Post" was the moderator for the day and helped focus participants on the important role they play as “bearers of the truth.” Fredreka Schouten, a former education reporter with Gannett News Service and now with the Education Trust, discussed the implications of the law on poor and minority students. Eric Hirsch with the Southeast Center For Teaching Quality discussed findings from the center’s recent report on how four states, including Alabama, are meeting the “highly qualified” teacher requirements.

State Superintendent Joe Morton chaired a state-level panel that included senior staff from federal programs, special education, and the Alabama Reading Initiative. This group discussed the ways NCLB is impacting state policy and the successes the state is having as a result of NCLB funding. For example, Morton pointed to the Alabama Reading First program that is creating dramatic results in high-poverty, high-minority schools. At Southside Primary in Selma, more than 90 percent of 3rd graders are reading at benchmark.

The afternoon session featured teachers, principals, and federal programs coordinators who are using NCLB to raise the achievement of all students. Both Mathews and Schouten pointed out how refreshing it was to hear state leaders and classroom teachers focus on the intent of the law rather than complain about the technical challenges of implementation.

ALABAMA BEST PRACTICES CENTER NEWS

Gassenheimer Receives Oustanding Staff Developer Award
On October 14, the Alabama Staff Development Council (ASDC) presented Alabama Best Practices Center President Cathy Gassenheimer with its Outstanding Staff Developer Award. At every annual conference since 1999, the ASDC has sought to recognize individuals who have made enduring contributions to the field of professional development in the state. To that end, the ASDC’s Outstanding Staff Developer Award is given to those who exemplify the kind of leadership and commitment it takes to improve the quality of teaching, which ultimately determines the quality of learning in our classrooms.

In her presenting remarks, Dr. Vikki Miller stated, "She (Gassenheimer) is known throughout the state as a strong advocate for professional development as the key to raising the quality of teaching and school leadership that is essential to improving student learning. Through the organization she leads and her service on numerous state committees, advisory panels and other policymaking organizations, she continues to be a tireless supporter of teachers and adamant about giving teachers a voice in their own professional learning."

"Working Toward Excellence" Now Available Online
The most recent edition of the "Working Toward Excellence" Journal is now available online at http://www.bestpracticescenter.org/publ/wteindex.html. Edited and written by John Norton, this edition is entitled, "Can Alabama Lead the U.S. in Reading Achievement?" The answer is a resounding, "Yes!" This issue focuses on two Alabama schools, Southside Primary in Selma and West Jasper Elementary, that are significantly closing the achievement gap in reading. Special attention is given to the DIBELS assessment, now required in all K-2 classrooms, and other proven strategies to close the gap.

BPC Hires Director
The Alabama Best Practices Center is proud to announce that Dr. Vikki Miller has joined the staff. Vikki is a former educator and most recently worked for the State Department of Education as director of the Alabama Teacher Quality Enhancement Project.

In her capacity as Director of the BPC, Vikki will coordinate efforts to develop the infrastructure and build the capacity to expand the Powerful Conversations about Professional Development program that is having great success in getting schools to examine and re-think their professional development practices. To date, more than 135 schools have participated. In addition to quarterly follow-up meetings for these schools, future plans include the establishment of a Key Persons Network for more strategic follow-up and the integration of the program into the highly successful Alabama Reading Initiative.

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Education News in Alabama is published bi-weekly by the A+ Education Foundation and is distributed to A+ board members, the media, and list serve subscribers. View archived newsletters.

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