Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/135412
Legislative Update JFC provides funding to avoid federal sequestration cuts! Sequestration. Shrinking school district budgets. End of Race to the Top funding. It's a perfect storm, and it hit paraprofessionals – hard SEA staff solicited the help of the Comptroller General's office which was successful in securing state funds to make up for the federal "sequester" cuts. The relief is approximately $3.2 million for approximately 100 positions - D full-time, part-time and temporary contracts – in almost all districts. The positions are mainly Instructional and Service Aides funded through Federal Title I and Special Education Grants. According to the new budget Epilogue language, school districts will have to apply to the state for these funds no later than September 30, with disbursement occurring no later than October 30. This assumes, of course, that the federal government takes no action to end this sequester cut. JFC wraps up their mark-up of state budget for FY14 he General Assembly reconvened June 4 for the home stretch of its first session which ends June 30. Among the bills they will consider is the final version of the state's budget, developed by the Joint Finance Committee (JFC), for the next fiscal year beginning July 1. Here are the highlights of what the state budget bill will include. Reminder: Nothing is final until the bill passes both Chambers and is signed by the Governor. Both events are highly likely . T Pay policy The budget continues to include epilogue language that commits the General Assembly to bring paras to 70% of the federal poverty level for a family of four within a four year time frame. As a result, state-funded paras will receive a 4.5% pay increase effective July 1, 2013. As predicted, no salary increase will occur in fiscal year 2014 for other public education employees or state workers. Public education $300,000 was allocated for completive grants for an Accelerated Academic Fund (talented and gifted program). Accompanying epilogue language was added stating funds cannot be expended without the passage of SB 27 or similar legislation. SB 27 has passed the Senate and is currently assigned to the House Education Committee. $2 million is allocated to the Charter School Performance Fund (see HB165 story on page 9). Accompanying epilogue language was added stating funds cannot be expended without the passage of authorizing legislation. Epilogue language regarding transportation funds to charter schools was amended. Charter schools are now required to use any funds not spent or left over in transportation for educational purposes only Previously, charters could . apply the leftover funds to any budget line. $2.25 million was allocated to Technology Block Grants for school districts. Additional epilogue language was amended to authorize all districts to institute a Technology Match Tax. $2.6 million was allocated to lease computers to assist districts with DCAS state testing. Homeland security $300,000 was allocated to accelerate the implementation of school safety plans Health and Social Services $3.3 million was allocated to fund 30 mental health professionals in middle schools. 8 May/June 2013 DSEA ACTION! While this is a win for us, employees will not be hired back until November, and the school districts must apply for the funding, as stated above. DSEA will work with districts and local leaders to bring back as many positions as we can that have been cut due to the sequester cuts. Reminder: The budget submitted to the General Assembly by the Joint Finance Committee is not official until the General Assembly passes it and the Governor signs it. Paraprofessional salary hikes on track While no other state employees will receive a raise for 2013-2014, the state's paraprofessionals, per a prior commitment from the General Assembly, will see a 4.5% increase in their state salary schedule. This is the second of four steps being taken by the General Assembly to bring para salaries to 70% of the federal poverty level for a family of four. "Teacher Prep" bill part of bigger effort to enhance teaching profession enate Bill 51, sponsored by the two Education Committee chairs, Rep. Darryl Scott and Sen. Dave Sokola, is on the Governor's desk for signing. Dubbed the "Teacher Prep" bill, its passage was part of the Govenor's State of the State Address. It will solidify teacher preparation programs in colleges and universities in Delaware, as well as require them to track and report data on the effectiveness of their programs. S "The bill requires all Delaware teacher preparation programs to set high admission and completion requirements, to provide high-quality student teaching experiences and ongoing evaluation of program participants, and to prepare prospective elementary school teachers in ageappropriate literacy and mathematics instruction. Further, the bill requires preparation programs to track and report data on the effectiveness of their programs. Finally, the bill requires new educators to pass both an approved contentreadiness exam and performance assessment before receiving an initial license. The assessments and the passing scores shall be approved by the Department, and shall be developed or identified in collaboration with Delaware educators. The bill also requires special education teachers to demonstrate content knowledge if they plan to teach in a secondary subject." New teacher turnover is significant. Two in five new teachers leave teaching in Delaware within four years, according to the Governor's office. Our hope is that this bill will help new teachers be ready on Day 1. Commented DSEA President Frederika Jenner as the bill was making its way through the General Assembly, "The demands of teaching make in-depth, comprehensive teacher preparation essential. Additionally, the time has come to involve working teachers as part of teacher training – who better for new teachers to learn from than their colleagues who teach well?" What's next? As stated in his State of the State address, Gov. Markell seeks to, "...strengthen our compensation system to better attract great teachers where we need them. Our highest-poverty schools in Delaware have almost twice the teacher turnover of our lowest-poverty schools. University students studying science, technology, engineering and math have lucrative opportunities that make it more difficult to recruit them into the classroom. First year teachers deciding where www.dsea.org