Florida
Bill: SB 1500
Status: 05/03/2013 – Senate Conference Committee Report received; Conference Committee Report adopted (590582); Passed as amended by Conference Committee Report
Relevant Elements: 9
In Florida, the budget, known formally as the General Appropriations Act is SB 1500 and has been worked out and the 72-hour “cooling off” countdown mandated by the state constitution began on April 29, and the budget can be voted on May 2. The legislature is constitutionally required to adjourn on May 3. The $74.5 million budget will give $1 billion more to schools and includes a three percent tuition hike in state colleges and universities, a move opposed by Republican Gov. Rick Scott. Lawmakers also settled on funding each virtual student at $5,200 and to spend an extra $10 million to help school districts in rural areas, according to The Miami Herald.
Michigan
Bill: HB 4328, SB 196
Status: 05/01/2013 – REPORTED BY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FAVORABLY WITH SUBSTITUTE S-1; PLACED ON ORDER OF THIRD READING WITH SUBSTITUTE S-1; PASSED ROLL CALL # 153 YEAS 26 NAYS 11 EXCUSED 0 NOT VOTING 0; returned from Senate with substitute S-1 with title amendment; laid over one day under the rules
Relevant Elements: 2, 6, 7, 10
Michigan HB 4328, sponsored by House Appropriations Chair Joe Haveman, R-Holland, passed the Senate 26-11 on May 1. As passed by the Senate the bill only contains placeholders and as passed by the House represents the FY 2013-2014 Department of Education Budget as proposed by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and includes the following appropriations as passed by the House:
- Online course catalog: $400,000 for the maintenance of a public catalog of online courses offered bay all public schools in the state.
- Information Technology: $104,000 for increased rates.
- Snyder eliminated section 902 on funding uses for college access grant program, however the Senate retained and modified section 903, which deals with reports on cyber schools.
- Require a catalog of online courses offered by all state public schools.
- $5,893,100 for professional preparation services.
Similar bill SB 196, sponsored by Sen. Howard Walker, R-Traverse City, passed the Senate 24-12 on April 24.
Bill: HB 4228, SB 182
Status: 05/01/2013 – REPORTED BY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FAVORABLY WITH SUBSTITUTE S-1; PLACED ON ORDER OF THIRD READING WITH SUBSTITUTE S-1; PASSED ROLL CALL # 152 YEAS 25 NAYS 12 EXCUSED 0 NOT VOTING 0; H returned from Senate with substitute S-1 with title amendment; H laid over one day under the rules
Relevant Elements: 1, 2, 9, 10
Michigan HB 4228, sponsored by Rep. Bill Rogers, R-Brighton, passed the House as amended 58-52 on April 24 and passed the Senate 25-12 on May 1 and the House will now consider Senate amendments. This bill is the House FY 2013-2014 Education Omnibus Budget Bill. Republican Gov. Rick Snyder made proposals for appropriations and changes, what follows is the House’s version in terms of major budget changes from the 2012-13 YTD Appropriations by the House:
- Technology infrastructure improvement: maintains 2012-13 levels of $50 million.
- Michigan Virtual University: maintains current levels of funding at $4.4 million.
- Science, technology and mathematics professional development: adds a $100 placeholder.
The House made major boilerplate changes from FY 2012-13:
- Counting nonresident pupils for online courses: revises the conditions under which a district may count a pupil in membership without the approval of his or her resident district; a pupil who enroll in an online program in another district as allowed under the new section 21f.
- 100 percent online programs foundation: adds language that beginning in FY 2014-15 the foundation allowance for a cyber school or for pupils attending a district under a seat-time waiver for a 100 percent online model is equal to 85% of the foundation allowance of the district in which it is located.
- Online courses-adds a section that would allow students in grades seven to 12 to enroll in online courses, would require a district to allow a student to enroll in up to two online courses a semester and would cap the amount a district has to pay for an online course to 1/12 of the district’s foundation allowance per semester or 1/18 of the districts foundation allowance for a trimester.
Bill: SB 182, HB 4228,
Status: 04/25/2013 – referred to Committee on Appropriations
Relevant Elements: 1, 6, 8, 9
The Senate, version SB 182, sponsored by Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Kahn, R-Saginaw, passed the Senate 21-15 with amendments on April 24 and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee on April 25. The governor made proposals and what follows is what the Senate decided it would in terms of appropriations or changes for the FY 2013-14 School Aid Budget:
- Michigan Virtual University: placeholder added and it would require the University to provide extensive professional development to at least 1,000 education personnel including teachers that focus on the effective integration of digital learning into curricula and instruction.
- Computer adaptive tests: $18 million for new tests.
- Online learning: added a new section 21f where a student in grades five to 12 could enroll in up to two online courses and would provide that districts would pay for online courses 50 percent upon enrollment and 50 percent upon successful completion.
Missouri
Bill: HB 2
Status: 04/30/2013 – Senate Refuses to Recede, Grants Conference (S); House Conference Committee Appointed (H) – REPRESENTATIVES STREAM, LAIR, MONTECILLO
Relevant Elements: 1, 7
Missouri HB 2 passed the Senate 28-5 on April 22 and passed the House Rules Committee on April 23, but is now in conference committee after the House refused to concur in Senate amendments. It would appropriate money to the state Board of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the 2014 fiscal year. Specific appropriations would include:
- $390,000 for the virtual schools program from the lottery proceeds fund.
- No appropriation for the bright futures program, the House version provides $100,000.
New Jersey
Bill: AB 3606
Status: 04/29/2013 – Passed by the Assembly (76-0-0) –
Relevant Elements: 1, 6
New Jersey AB 3606 passed the Assembly 76-0 on April 29. It would require that the Department of Education provide professional development opportunities related to reading disabilities, including dyslexia, to a variety of school personnel. The bills would also require that certain school district personnel annually complete two hours of professional development on the screening, intervention, accommodation, and use of technology for students with reading disabilities, including dyslexia. This professional development requirement would be applicable to general education teachers in grades kindergarten through 3, special education, basic skills, and English as a second language teachers, reading specialists, learning disabilities teacher consultants, and speech-language specialists.
North Carolina
Bill: HB 974
Status: 04/18/2013 – House Ref To Com On Appropriations
Relevant Elements: 9, 10
North Carolina HB 974, sponsored by House Appropriations Committee Senior Chairman Nelson Dollar, R-Cary, was read a first time and referred to the House Appropriations Committee on April 18. This bill is Republican Gov. Pat McCrory’s proposed budget. According to Governor McCrory’s website and abclocal.go.com/wtvd it would:
- Appropriate $43 million over the next two years for expanded digital learning initiatives and the promotion of technology in classrooms.
- Dedicate lottery funds to support the purchase of reading tablets and technology to help deal with grade three reading achievement and other high priorities.
Oklahoma
Bill: SB 267
Status: 05/02/2013 – Signed, returned to Senate; Sent to Governor
Relevant Elements: 7
Oklahoma SB 267 passed the House 61-34 on April 23 and the Senate concurred in House amendments 33-11 on May 1 and the bill was delivered to Republican Gov. Mary Fallin on May 2 who will have until May 8 to act on the measure. It would allow the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board to directly sponsor statewide virtual charter schools and would have the sole authority to do so. It would also establish the weighted average daily membership for funding for the first year of operation and each year after of a full-time virtual charter school would be determined by multiplying enrollment as of August 1 by 1.333. The board would establish a procedure for approving or disapproving virtual charter school applications. Starting on July 1, 2014, no school district would be permitted to offer full-time virtual education to students who are not residents of the school district. The measure would provide for the purpose of calculating weighted average daily membership, the receipt of revenue, specific Board duties, and contractual rights and responsibilities.
Texas
Bill: HB 1926
Status: 05/05/2013 – H Reported engrossed
Relevant Elements: 7, 8, 9
Texas HB 1926 passed the House Public Education Committee on April 23, and the amended text was available on April 26. It would:
- Expand the list of eligible course providers through the state virtual school network to include nonprofit entities, private entities, and corporations that provide an electronic professional development course.
- Authorize the state virtual school network to enter into a reciprocity agreement with one or more states to facilitate expedited course approval.
- Authorize a charter to receive funding for the student’s enrollment in a state virtual school network course in accordance with the terms of its charter. The full amount for courses could not exceed $400 per course or $4,800 for a full-time student.
- Allow a school district or open-enrollment charter school to decline to pay for more than three yearlong electronic courses for a student or the equivalent during a school year. Students could enroll in additional electronic courses at their own cost.
- Prohibit course providers from promising or providing equipment or other items of value to a student or their parent as an inducement to enroll in courses in the virtual school network.
Bill Updates:
- California AB 484 was amended in the Assembly Education Committee on April 24, read a second time and on April 25 and re-referred to the same committee. The bill was scheduled for a hearing on May 1.
- California SB 714 passed the Senate Education Committee 9-0 on April 24.
- Colorado SB 260 passed the House on April 30 and the Senate concurred in House amendments on May 1.
- Florida HB 7009 was substituted for similar bill SB 1630 and was then passed by the Senate 31-7 on May 1.
- Florida HB 7029 was substituted for similar bill SB 904 on May 1 and passed by the Senate 27-12 on May 2.
- Florida SB 1390 passed the Senate 38-0 on March 29 and is pending delivery to the House.
- Indiana SB 189 emerged from conference committee on April 26 and the Senate passed their report 38-11 and the House passed it 87-12. The bill will go to Republican Gov. Michael Pence next for approval and he will have seven days to sign or veto the legislation or it becomes law without his signature.
- Minnesota HF 630 passed the House 83-50 on April 23 and passed the Senate 35-28 on April 25 and on March 29 entered conference committee.
- Montana SB 81 was delivered to Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock on April 26 who will have until May 6 to act on the measure.
- Oklahoma SB 559 is currently in conference committee and the Senate appointed conference committee members on April 29.
- Oregon HB 2426 passed the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee on April 30 and passed the House on May 2.