Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/466345
ISEA Communiqué • isea.org February 2015 7 NEW BUSINESS 2021. Increasing funding and duration funding is allowed for the English Language Learner (ELL) program. 21 22. Developing an ongoing fund for technology in schools, including providing training, providing maintenance of equipment, as well as equipment replacement and funding salaries for IT information technology support. 22 23. Ensuring that any formula the Department of Education uses to distribute legislated teacher compensation is equitable to districts that participate in sharing agreements and open enrollments. 23 24. Providing reorganization incentives that provide for educational programs instead of property tax relief. 24 25. The state fully funding the Mandatory Reporting licensure renewal requirement. 25 26. Strengthen the availability of research-based preschool programs for low-income children and supporting targeted outreach efforts to assure their participation. ISEA Opposes: 1. Any state-mandated pay-for- performance plan that is linked to student scores or standardized tests. 2. State-mandated increases in the length of the contract year solely for the purpose of appearing to increase salaries. 3. All proposals that promote private charter schools, choice, voucher programs, or increasing tuition tax credits for students attending non-public schools. 4. Using the state's limited resources to fund non-public schools or home schooled students. 5. The use of public funds to subcontract with private and/or public entities for educational services that can be provided by the local employee groups. 6. Constitutional state and local spending limitations, such as the Taxpayers' Rights/ Stanley Amendment. 7. The state Department of Education control over the content of mandated professional development. 8. Mandatory retention of third-grade students based solely on reading assessments. 9. The incorporation of end-of-course assessments into school districts' graduation requirements. Area Education Agencies The Area Education Agencies (AEAs) were created to provide services to local school districts in the areas of special education, educational services (professional development), and media services. The concept of the AEAs was that the services they were to provide required a larger student population than most school districts had. The AEA was created to allow for a cost effective service delivery model. The media services and educational services of an AEA are funded exclusively by property taxes. The special education services are funded by state resources, property taxes, and federal revenues. ISEA Supports: 1. Allowing AEAs to receive full funding of special education state revenues when across-the-board reductions are enacted so that the services of special needs students are not compromised and across-the- board reduction for AEAs will be applied to local school districts that are empowered to levy the cash reserve levy and recoup lost state aid. 2. Providing an adequate allowable state percent of growth rate. 3. Restoring the $22.5 million of state aid cuts to AEA special education services, $15.0 million in the appropriations process and $7.5 million in Iowa Code Section 257.35(2). 3 4. Maintaining the integrity of the three service areas of special education services, educational services, and media services. The ISEA opposes using generalists for special education services when individual educational plans call for specialists like psychologists, social workers, audiologists, etc. 4 5. Requiring properly licensed psychologists and social workers in adequate ratios for quality service to be available to provide professional behavior assessment and intervention. 5 6. Maintaining adequate staffing for all service areas, especially special education, to adhere to ESEA unsafe school requirements. 6 7. Creating an educator leadership program that AEA staff can participate in. The program would address improving best practices within the AEA's staff. 7 8. Requiring that individual education plans (IEPs) be based on the professional judgment of licensed educators and IEPs should not be edited by administrators or any individuals other than appropriately licensed special education practitioners unless the administrator or other individual serves on the individual students IEP in more than an ad hoc capacity. 8 9. Maintaining the state stipend for National Board Certified teachers who become AEA or non-administrative district employees. 910. Mandating that federal funds and ending fund balances be restricted for the use of direct student services and not overhead or administrative expenditures. 10 11. Allowing AEA positions to be identified on shortage lists and participate in student aid programs. 11 12. Requiring local school districts and AEAs to reimburse mileage at the rate established by the IRS. 12 13. Mandating all professionals employed by the AEAs or Pre-K-12 districts are issued a license or statement of professional recognition. 13 14. Requiring a study of the governance of the AEAs to see if there is an alternative that is more responsive and representative of the student populations served. ISEA Opposes: 1. Mandating the forced reorganizations of AEAs. 2. Reducing special education state funding. 3. Assigning AEA staff to positions for which they are not properly licensed or qualified to fill. Higher Education Community Colleges Adequate funding for Iowa's community colleges must be provided. Community colleges have been forced to trim instructional programs and staff at a time when demand for the programs has increased dramatically. Salaries for community college faculty members have fallen behind salaries paid to faculty members in other states. Salaries must remain competitive to retain and attract the most qualified staff. ISEA Supports: 1. Providing adequate funding for community colleges. 2. Providing an appropriation to raise faculty salaries to 25th in the nation. 3. Establishing a special fund for each campus for staff development to enable faculty to stay current in subject matter areas. 4. Requiring every community college to have a media specialist/librarian, counselor, and health program at student/staff ratios that allow for quality services. 5. Requiring each community college to have a plan in place to address security on The following are proposed amendments to the ISEA Resolutions. R101Amend by addition: I-B3 j: The services provided by school social workers, court liaison personnel, school resource officers, at-risk interventionists, and other non-educationally licensed personnel are valuable, but they should not replace licensed school counselors. (Mississippi Bend) R102 Amend by addition: I-B8 b: All advertising of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products should be banned. (Mississippi Bend) R103 Amend by addition: I-B9 add a letter a: Students participating in home-schooling programs should be monitored to ensure that they are receiving a quality education. (Mississippi Bend) (revised from submitted language) R104 Amend by addition: I-A1 add letter j: Public money should not be used to pay for for-profit, online schooling. (Mississippi Bend) (revised from submitted language) R105 Amend by addition: I-A1 add letter k: Shared positions should be used to enhance educational opportunities for students and not for financial gain or to make up a budget deficit. (Mississippi Bend) (revised from submitted language) R106 Amend by addition: I-B5 add letter p: The licensure of special education teachers should be discipline- specific and in their area of expertise. (Mississippi Bend) (revised from submitted language) R107 Amend by addition: I-B10j: There should be quality training for leadership positions in the Teacher Leadership System. (Lincolnway) (revised from submitted language) R108 Amend by addition: I-B13f: The funding formula should change to allow for rural schools to cover transportation costs for their students. (Lincolnway) (revised from submitted language) R109 Amend by addition: Employees should be allowed a minimum of 15 days of general leave each year excluding bereavement leave. (Lincolnway) (revised from submitted language) NEW RESOLUTIONS