USA Today: Texas School Board and Textbooks

Monday, April 12 edition of USA Today (www.usatoday.com) has an interesting debate on the Texas State school board's attempt to rewrite history textbooks. The two views given in the debate are worth reading.

Rick

Shorter School Year an Option

The State School Board decided last Friday that Utah school districts again may slash up to five school days to cope with financial strains. Martell Menlove, state deputy supt. said "We really don't want to have any fewer days. What we believe is kids need to be in school more time, not less time." That is all well and good, but when the legislature cuts funding how are we supposed to pay for those days. Legislators and the Governor were still saying at their political conventions last week that "Education was held harmless." That is not true. The bad part of furloughing employees is a) no pay for those days and b) no retirement service for those days. Some districts did furloughs last year and we might see more this year. Neither Ogden or Weber Districts have proposed doing furloughs or cutting the school year.

Rick

State Law Suspends School Test Standards

In Saturday's (April 10) SL Trib an article by Lisa Schenker talks about the legislative action that suspends some testing. HB166 will suspend until 2013 the requirement of producing UPASS reports and it suspends the UBSCT for two years. It will provide the state some savings in expenditures.

Rick

Budget Cuts

We are now in the season of negotiations and district budgets. The legislature failed to fund any increase in the WPU or any money for the growth (estimated at 11,000 new students) this year. Early numbers are showing our districts will lose close to 5% of funding. A big loss was a change in the way social security and retirement is being reimbursed. Of a $2.3 million dollar reduction that Ogden is looking at, $1.8 Million of that is a reduction in social security and retirment payments. It will be a difficult year for negotiations again. Weber's team consists of Marlene Irons, Shari Combe, Kirk Ottley, Lee Claycomb, and Terie Maxfield. Ogden's team consists of Doug Stephens, Lisa Vipperman, Whit Freund, Sherrie Dame. I serve on both teams also.
Our first meetings are coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Rick

More Legislative Wrapup...

• HB 42 Extends the period of time that an employee remains on provisional status
• HB 81 Allows districts to require periodic background checks for employees.
• HB 88 Requires districts to adopt policies prohibiting the use, possession, or distribution of electronic cigarettes, in addition to other tobacco products.
• HB 386 Enacts the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
• HB 433 Re-enacts language regarding foreign exchange students which was removed several years ago.
• SB 56 Requires that the State Board adopt rules to calculate average class size.
• SB 59 requires the adoption of gang prevention and intervention policies.

You can go to the Utah State Legislative web site and look at the details of these bills.

Rick

County conventions this Saturday, April 10

Both the Democrats and Republicans will be holding their county conventions in Weber County this Saturday. Our local Political Action Committee interviewed candidates for the Republican nomination in House District 6 and are recommending Brad Galvez. In House District 9, the PAC interviewed Democratic candidates and are recommending Neil Hansen. If you are a delegate we encourage you to attend your conventions this weekend.

Rick

Welcome Back from Winter...Spring Break

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...Really, is it necessary to dump this on us in April? Back at work, a little sore from the lap band surgery, but no worse for wear. I was going stir crazy at home. It is even worse watching my friends coming down the fairways on the course behind my house. I, not unlike Tiger, will make my triumphant return to golfing this weekend. My stomach looks like I lost in a knife fight, but it is worth it now that I have dropped 35lbs. from eating water, broth, sugar-free popsicles (don't judge until you have had one) and split pea soup. We have our OEA AR and Exec Bd meeting tonight and we will begin our "Early Enrollment" membership campaign where we sign members up and postpone dues until the Fall. If you have a friend who hasn't joined (or even someone you really don't like) this is a great chance. It has been a tough membership year because of the economic contraints, but we hope to pick up a few more this spring. Sorry, I have to go practice my swing.... Rick