The State Board of Education held its regular monthly meetings on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Wednesday is Committee day so let's start there.  Items for the Committee meetings can be found on the agenda for the Committee of the Whole.

Rules Committee 

The new transparency rule initiated last month at the request of State Superintendent Richard Woods is on hold until after the legislative session due to several similar proposals making their way through the General Assembly.

The Committee discussed the Work-based Learning rule up for adoption and a resolution recognizing CTAE month and the work going on in that area. Please take a look at the resolution and the numbers of students participating in the wide variety of opportunities that are being created for them, so the next time somebody criticizes schools for not preparing students for the future, you have some facts for them.

They also discussed a request for a school board member in Chattooga to remain on the board as part of the required waiver process for school board members under the nepotism statute. 

The rule adoption as always was held for a separate vote; the other items went to the consent agenda.

Budget Committee 

All budget items were placed on the consent agenda. Federal funds are coming in handy to support education priorities in the state.  In the continuing efforts focused on rural districts, the state is contracting with Frontline Education to assist 31 districts in the Chattahoochee/Flint and Southwest RESAs with recruitment and hiring processes. The focus on literacy also was apparent in a grant to 10 school districts for multi-sensory reading instruction training for teachers of students with disabilities and other struggling readers. Another grant to 31 LEAs will help them meet the needs outlined in their improvement plans to address closing the gap and making progress in literacy.

District Flexibility & Charter Schools Committee 

The Committee sent all six of their items to the consent agenda.  Those included amending the charter system contract for one district, renewing another charter system and charter school, and granting a charter for a grades 9-12 school. Ten charter school amendments were sent forward to include the two-party agreements between the local board and the charter school for the provision of in-kind services for federal funds for which the charter is eligible. As a tsunami of strategic waiver system contracts near renewal, 130 districts' contracts were amended to extend their contract terms by two years, with an end date of June 30, 2024 or 2025.

The Museum School of Avondale Estates sent a request to address the State Board so were provided the opportunity to address this Committee.  At issue is the contract renewal as a local charter and coming to agreement with the school district as to terms.  The lease of the charter school's building is also part of the disagreement.  Since they can't come to terms (so far anyway) with the district, they would like to apply to the State Charter Schools Commission.  It seems that the law is not clear about what constitutes a denial in this area.  They can not go to the State unless the local board denies the application.

They indicated they have been unable to get a meeting with the district to work things out or end it, so they want the State Board to help but the authority to do so is not immediately apparent.  The school district will be invited to address the Committee at its next meeting to tell their side of the story.

By the way, anyone can request to appear before the Board.  The rules for doing so are in Article 8 of the Board's bylaws. 

Audit Committee 

This Committee did not meet this month.  State Board Chair Jason Downey indicated they will meet next month.

Committee of the Whole 

Eleventh Congressional District State Board member Scott Johnson introduced this month's guest for the inspiration. Kevin Paul Scott, author of The Lens, Nine Shifts in a Leader's Perspective and other books, offered a prayer, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and some words of wisdom.  His primary message was "how we view things changes how we do things."

A public hearing was held on the Work-based Learning rule.  Lisa Morgan, President of GAE, spoke.

Chairs of Committees reported out to build the consent agenda.

State Board Meeting 

The Board adopted the consent agenda and the proposed amendments to the rule on Work-Based Learning. 

The Superintendent's Report focused on CTAE.  Dr. Barbara Wall, State CTAE Director, presented the improvements in the program in FY '22 including the revised middle school CTAE courses and the entrepreneurship framework included in all CTAE courses now.  Quite a few CTAE Directors from districts were present and recognized for their work.

The Chairman's Report included remarks from State Auditor Greg Griffin on the attempts to get guidance from the US Department of Education on the use of COVID funds.  Griffin mentioned that some districts have charged entire salaries to ESSER funds, finding that not to be reasonable or necessary.  His Department is working with districts on this and other items to avoid issuing audit findings. There was also discussion around the deadline for using the funds.

Miranda Bradford, Governor Kemp's K-12 Education Policy Advisor, presented a legislative update on the Governor's initiatives.  

• HB 385, the return to work bill for 30 year veterans, passed the House and is in Senate Retirement.   
• The Parents' Bill of Rights is both HB 1178 and SB 449.  She indicated these bills were drafted with the input of educators, administrators, and parents. (Note: The House bill is scheduled to be heard in Subcommittee Wednesday morning.  The Senate bill was amended and voted out of Committee earlier this week, and is on the Senate calendar Tuesday for a floor vote.)
• SB 514, opting out of mask mandates in schools, was done as parents are the best deciders on their children's health needs.

Mrs. Bradford said the Governor is supportive of other measures on obscene materials and divisive concepts but the legislature is taking the lead on them.

Fourteenth Congressional District State Board member Phenna Petty introduced Dale Alexander who gave remarks about the importance of starting to save young.

Board members were invited to make comments.  Vice-Chair Stan DeJarnett thanked the General Assembly and the Governor for the support for education in the amended and FY '23 budgets.

Chairman Downey announced he is forming an ad hoc Committee on Governmental Affairs to serve the remainder of the session.  They will be proactive, report back to the Board, poll Board members for reaction to legislation etc.  He did not announce members but based on the line headed to him after the meeting he has no shortage of volunteers.  He closed his remarks by emphasizing that they are a team -- the State Board, Department of Education, and the Governor's Office.

The meeting was adjourned.  Their next meeting is scheduled for March 23-24.