The Week In Review
The Governor signed several bills this week affecting K-12 public education. The legislature returns on Thursday, August 3 to consider a narrow range of bills, meeting requirements laid out in the adjournment resolution.
Bills Signed into Law by the Governor This Week
SB 599/SL 2017-189: Excellent Educators for Every Classroom
As covered in previous newsletters, SB 599 replaces the current lateral entry system of alternative teacher certification with “residency licensure.”
The bill:
- establishes the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission to recommend standards for educator preparation, licensure, continuing education, and conduct to the State Board,
- adds additional requirements to Educator Preparation Program (EPP) content,
- modifies the current EPP accountability system,
- clarifies that retired principals or retired assistant principals may be employed as interim principals, regardless of licensure status,
- authorizes the State Board to continue to issue lateral entry licenses through the 2018-2019 school year, and
- exempts members of the General Assembly who are teachers from continuing education credit requirements.
For a more thorough summary of SB 599, read the Fiscal Research Division summary of the bill here.
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In 1997, Congress created Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABs) to help school districts with low-income populations
save on interest costs associated with borrowing funds for certain purposes. Senate Bill 468 provides that the conditions established by the State Board of Education for the uses
of a QZAB allocation must be for the purposes outlined in Federal law. Further, the bill prioritizes QZAB allocations so that
the QZAB funds are first used in counties determined to have greater economic distress. The bill is summarized by the Fiscal Research Division here.
SB 55/SL2017-188:School Bus Cameras/Civil Penalties
SB 55 gives local boards of education the option to install automated school bus safety cameras to capture photos of vehicles passing stopped school buses. The bill directs the State Board of Education to, upon the request of local boards, enter into regional or statewide contracts with private vendors to install and operate the cameras, and to develop a model request for proposals and contract for use by local boards. The bill also authorizes interlocal agreements aimed at enforcing school bus traffic laws with the cameras, and allows county boards of commissioners to adopt ordinances imposing civil penalties for passing a stopped school bus when the violation does not cause injury or death and is not criminally prosecuted.
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Relevant Bills on the Governor's Desk
HB 528 Budget Technical Corrections | Summary
HB 704 Divide School Systems/Study Committee | Summary
See this link for a complete list of bills impacting K-12 education.
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Thursday, August 3, 2017
12:00 PM Session Convenes (House) House Audio
12:00 PM Session Convenes (Senate) Senate Audio
ONLINE RESOURCES:
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONTACT INFORMATION:
To view previous 2017 Weekly Legislative Updates click here.
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- To subscribe to the Weekly Legislative Update, click here.
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