Legislative Hot Topics: Blog

Legislative Update, October 2012

Oct 24, 2012

Introduction and Overview

Update on IRA’s new Guidelines for the Common Core, Plus a Q & A section on the Common Core State Standards on IRA’s website, IRA’s new University of Advocacy webinars; IRA’s proposed statement on “Universal Principles: Essential Role of the Teacher in Classrooms, Schools, and Society; Richard Long’s legislative update; and Richard Long’s Twitter.

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

Wondering what are the links between the English Language Common Core State Standards and reading? Take a look at: IRA Guidance on CCSS. This will give you several ideas how to coordinate your curriculum, the needs of your students with the CCSS. In addition, the IRA Committee on the CCSS has developed a Q & A section on the website. Please tell your members and colleague they can ask for help in understanding, interpreting and implementing the CCSS by going to: IRA Q & A on CCSS.

The University of Advocacy?

Second of Series: Five Sessions on The Art of Advocacy
February 5 – March 12, 2013

Sign up here for the University of Advocacy's second course on the Art of Advocacy. This is a webinar training program (both audio and video via the Internet). There will be five classes which will be archived so you do not have to watch live.

The classes begin on Tuesday, February 5 and run Tuesdays through March 12, 2013, with February 12 skipped for State of Union address. The sessions are from 8 pm to 9 pm EST. The sessions are:

Feb 5, 2013 – Models of Advocacy – what are the range of activities
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Feb 19, 2013 – How to organize a group to organize – what are the communications, training and other supports
Feb 26, 2013 – How to build and work with coalitions – what are the "rules" of cooperation
Mar 5, 2013 – How do I negotiate – figuring out what you want and how to get it
Mar 12, 2013 – Review – What are the important points?

Click Here to sign up for University of Advocacy Webinar Series.

First of Series: Five Sessions on PolySci 101
October 23 – December 4, 2012

Oct 23, 2012 – Overview of the Three Branches of Government, Federalism, and the history of Federal education involvement
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Nov 6, 2012 – How does the Executive Branch function in relationship to education – looking at regulations, rulemaking, guidance, budgets and the bully pulpit
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Nov 13, 2012 – How does the Legislative Branch impact education decisions - how do the committees work, the budget system, appropriations, oversight
View Webinar Archive | Download Slideshow PDF
Nov 27, 2012 – The Role of the Courts in federal and state education law
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Dec 4, 2012 – Summary: how it all fits together
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Essential Role of the Teacher in Classrooms, Schools, and Society: IRA is developing a statement on teacher principles. Your comments are needed before November 1, 2012.

IRA has had a team of teachers from all levels working on a set of statements regarding what governments are doing to impact schools and students. At present, most programs are oriented towards government setting goals, deciding on assessments to evaluate those goals, and demanding results. IRA believes that a new social contract needs to be created between teachers and the government in order to create schools where students thrive. The draft that outlines this agreement.

What do you think? Should IRA continue down this path to speak on the professional issues impacting teaching, learning, and students? Are we missing a key element? Can it be better said? Should we change parts of it?

We invite you to review this statement and comment by November 1st. Read the draft statement and submit your comments here: UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES: The Essential Role of the Teacher in Classrooms, Schools, and Society.

Federal Issues

The US Department of Education is continuing to talk with states about their applications to be exempt from the requirements of No Child Left Behind by agreeing to make significant changes in eleven critical areas. These areas include adopting college- and career-ready standards (such as the Common Core State Standards); linking teacher and principal evaluation to student performance, and other changes. It is expected that 35 states will submit requests for waivers.

In addition, the Congress passed a funding bill to get the government functioning until March 27th. This spending plan actually includes a small 0.006% increase in funding for education programs. A decision on how to allocate this funding will be made over the next few weeks.

The sequestration of funds; a major part of the deficit reduction program passed last year will take effect on January 2nd. Most education programs will not be cut until July 2013 – except for Impact Aid which will be cut by over 8% on January 2, 2013. While it is possible for the upcoming lame duck session to change the sequestration, it is likely only to happen if there is some type of large scale agreement on taxes and entitlement spending, military spending, along with the domestic areas.

On November 13th the Congress reconvenes for its lame-duck session. This post-election meeting is to decide on many issues, the largest being the long-term deficit plan. It is possible that the Congress and Administration will not come to any agreement on the fiscal issues and we will go into the new year with taxes automatically being raised, cuts automatically being made to the military and to social programs. One senior senator has said that he expects the cuts to take effect and then the new Congress to act to turn them around.