School Administrators of Iowa

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SAI 2010 Legislative Platform

School Administrators of Iowa Legislative Report #11

March 26, 2010

To access a bill, go to www.legis.state.ia.us. Enter the bill number in the box in the upper right-hand corner of the page and click Go. To see bills that are highlighted in this report, just click on the bill number. When you look up a bill and it does not indicate “Enrolled,” it will not be in final form with the latest amendments.

I would again express appreciation for the cooperation received this session from IASB, ISEA, AEAs, Community Colleges, Urban Education Network and the Department of Education.

The following links may be helpful:

FY2011 State School Aid Estimates by District and AEA:

http://staffweb.legis.state.ia.us/lfb/docs/k-12_ed/FY2011_Standings_Final_v1.1.pdf

FY2011School Aid Funding estimates:

http://staffweb.legis.state.ia.us/lfb/docs/k-12_ed/FY11_BltIn_ARRA_033010_Stdgs_H_A_v1.1.pdf

The PPEL bill made it through the House, but amendments in the Senate killed it. Those involved stated that they were willing to try again next year.

PHASE 1 never did get legs. Legislators recognized that it was done late in the session last year and districts did not have a chance to react, but that was not enough to sell it. You can still go to SBRC, but that has not been too successful for those districts that have already tried. The next hearing is May 10, the hearing request application is due April 10 and exhibits are due April 19.

The Education Appropriations bill dropped the state share of the Instructional Support Levy. State support was about 7 percent, compared to 25 percent when it started. The percentage decreased because the state froze the allocation, and as more districts applied the percentage available per district went down. We were able to get back $7.5 million of the $13+ million proposed reduction in the Salary/Standings Bill. The local portion was not affected.

K-12 education was down about $514 million to start the session. At the end of the day, the Education Appropriations bill and Salary and Standings bills brought that number down to about $160 million, which districts have the authority to spend if they can find the cash to back the authority. The AEAs received a $16 million increase, but still are behind due to prior cuts.

We were successful in getting the proposed language change we wanted in the administrator mentoring program, and it is funded.

Some concern has been expressed about language regarding school bus inspections. I have been assured by the Public Safety staff that there is nothing in the hopper to change the current process.

Other bills that we monitored that have died or we have been unable to find attached to some other bill: start date, a number of extra curricular bills, more instructional time, prevailing wage, choice of doctor, fair share, DE Code corrections bill, market factor pay, bio-diesel bill, minors’ driver’s licenses, flood plains (school sites), ICN advisory/leases, workers’ comp overtime pay, safe and sick time, and requiring employers to provide employees with written policies.

These bills have passed and been signed by the Governor:

• HF2030-SBRC modifications of cash balance/structure of committee and defined unreserved/undesignated funding.

• SF2046-delays the setting of categorical funding for 2011-12 until January 2011

• SF2045-delays the setting of allowable growth for 2011-12 until January 2011

• SF2033-relating to Iowa’s Race to the Top application that we know did not provide a grant for Iowa in the first round. Numerous suggestions were proposed to change the “negotiations” language for the Memorandum of Understanding in the PLAS portion of the bill, but none received the necessary support to get a change. You are required to meet with the representation of the staff. The second round will be coming soon.

• SF2291-Special education Code corrections

• HF2319-Aboveground fuel tanks

• SF2202-New disabilities language

• SF2194-Election laws-Fixes PPEL dates and annual meeting dates

• SF2088-Reorganization bill

• SF2067-Ethics & campaigns-sales of goods by staff

• HF2488-Young members on appointed boards

• SF2289-School accreditation procedures for school closings

• HF2283-Child care criminal checks-DHS set timeline and procedure

• SF2355-Fire system maintenance-OK for schools

• SF2298-Child attend Child in Need of Assistance hearing

• HF2110-Military unemployment-if relocated

• HF2485-PERB changes in fact finding and “willful” taken out of prohibitive practice complaints and arbitration process

• SF2181-Boilers and work permits for 16-year-olds

• SF2151-Hawk-i

• SF2178-Non-public textbook funds for computers

• HF2144-Dental screening, close schools for health reasons

• HF2233-Expunge record for minor alcohol violations

• SR106-HR113-March Women’s History Month

• HF823-Green Clean-school opt out option

• HF2295-AEA Task Force to study AEA System-AEAs OK with this

• HF2461-Training for school business officials

• HF2466-Drivers education instructors

• SF2305-Sex offenders-good faith effort standard

• HF2432-Study teaching opportunities for minorities

• SF2226-Visitations-requires notification of these rights

• HF2456-Use of cell phones

• HF2466-Driver’s ed instructors that had accidents and BoEE process

• SF2324-Cable access regulations changes

• SF2265-SMART Planning- SAI on task force

• SF2366-Supplemental Appropriations-Division III Education-changes to 09/10.

• HF2518-IPERS changes as proposed by the Benefits Advisory Committee

• HF2197-Vets get Veterans Day off as a holiday

• HF2519-Federal Block Grants- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

• SF2376-Education Appropriations-SAI mentoring Language, allowable growth, combined salary schedule, retroactive TSS dropped, supplementals not subject to across-the-board cuts, empowerment, home school assistance, fuel tank clean up fund (raided for $5.1 million for ed.) teacher complaints to BoEE process and much more.

• HF2531-Salary/Standings Bill-Includes Instructional Support Levy $7.5 million, a place for workplace lactation, bingo/raffle language, school foundation, at-risk programs, food service item and much more.

To summarize the session is probably easiest by noting some major events. First, we must express how much Rep. Roger Wendt’s presence was missed. We wish him well as he addresses his health issues. The economy was definitely a challenge. The weather made it very trying for the out-of-town legislators to get to and from Des Moines. The shortened session, which has been called the longest short session on record. This caused many coordination issues, and waiving of rules to expedite legislation. With all this we could look at the approximate $160 million shortfall in regular education funding plus the $5+ million loss in the Instructional Support Levy as not that bad when you remember that we were $514 million short when the session began. When you look at the language issues on the dead bill list, it reflects that this also could have been much worse.

Dr. Ben Norman, Government Relations Director, bennorman@mchsi.com, 515-240-9125

United States Congress

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