The following is the legislative schedule for the week of March 1, 2015. Unless marked as an executive session or a full House or Senate session, the bills are scheduled for a committee meeting which is the opportunity for public testimony. This is the best chance to communicate with the committee members and share your opinion on the bills. The public has until the executive session to make an impact on how the committee will vote, which is very influential when the entire body votes. Email the committee, or better yet, call. Contact information for the House and Senate education committees are at the end of this post.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
HOUSE EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB
10:00 a.m. HB 491, relative to immunity for school personnel using reasonable force to protect a minor
position — OPPOSE
more information — Terms such as “reasonable force,” “maintain decorum or safety,” and “believe it necessary” are vague and undefined; special training for properly defusing these scenarios is not included in the bill; school districts could face greater liability if a child is hurt or the actions are not deemed justified
10:30 a.m. Executive session (committee votes on these bills)
HB 242, relative to the statewide improvement and assessment program
HB 276, providing that school districts shall not be required to adopt the common core standards
HB 303, relative to statewide assessment standards and relative to parental consent for psychological services to students
position — SUPPORT
more information — This bill is consistent with previous legislative intents to keep dispositional (values, beliefs, and behaviors) questions out of assessments, and would require parental consent prior to psychological services; see Maintaining Legislative Intent and Respecting Parental Rights
HB 317, relative to contracts between schools and school districts
HB 471, relative to the powers of the state board of education and the duties of school boards
position — SUPPORT
more information — This bill empowers local school districts with more independent decision making and authority; it does not prohibit local districts from entering into cooperative agreements with other districts; the state DOE may continue to serve as a repository for information and facilitate coordination among districts
** HB 474, relative to grounds for denial of a chartered public school application
position — OPPOSE
more information — This bill would allow the state BOE to deny the application of chartered public schools solely for budget reasons; the legislature, not the BOE sets the budget and allocation of state funds; this is a blatant attempt to justify the charter school moratorium from a few years ago and deny additional schools; see The State Board of Ed Overreaches Its Authority
HB 491, relative to immunity for school personnel using reasonable force to protect a minor
position — OPPOSE
more information — Terms such as “reasonable force,” “maintain decorum or safety,” and “believe it necessary” are vague and undefined; special training for properly defusing these scenarios is not included in the bill; school districts could face greater liability if a child is hurt or the actions are not deemed justified
HB 519, establishing a committee to study department of education policies affecting dyslexic students
HB 538-FN-L, relative to the implementation of new statewide education annual assessments
HB 566-FN-L, relative to consolidation of school administrative units
position — OPPOSE
more information — Forcing centralized school administration will reduce accountability, transparency, and accessibility to the local residents; it could be used to justify an increase in non-teaching staff at the local office to replace the SAU administrators; local districts can currently form cooperative SAU agreements if the residents agree it is in their best interest to do so, but this would require it on a major scale for each county (except Hillsborough)
SENATE EDUCATION, Room 103, LOB
9:00 a.m. SB 246, relative to the definition of “teacher” for the purpose of renomination or reelection.
9:20 a.m. SB 247, relative to duties of the legislative oversight committee established under the statewide education improvement and assessment program.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
HOUSE EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB
9:45 a.m. Executive session (committee votes on these bills)
HB 555, relative to participation of chartered public school students in school district cocurricular activities
position — SUPPORT
more information — This bill clarifies that charter school students may participate in co-curricular activities of their resident district
HB 578-FN, relative to state board of education compliance with unfunded federal education
mandates
position — SUPPORT
additional information — This bill protects districts from unfunded mandates that may result when the state DOE accepts federal grants or enters into contracts for federal education programs
HB 581-FN, requiring schools to continue the education of a child during the child’s suspension or expulsion
** HB 603, relative to student exemptions from assessments, questionnaires, or surveys
position — SUPPORT
more information — This bill explicitly reinforces parents’ rights to opt out their child from academic and non-academic materials; state statute does not trump federal law and SCOTUS rulings; see A Parent’s Right to Opt-Out, Do Federal Funds Incentivize Schools to Compromise Parents’ Rights? and Controversial Surveys and Questionnaires Need Opt-Out
HB 604, relative to the use of mixed use school buses by special education pupils
HB 610, relative to a school board vote on the reassignment of a pupil
HB 611-FN, requiring legislative approval of all agreements, contracts, grants, or waivers involving the department of education or the state board of education
position — SUPPORT
more information — This bill would improve transparency and accountability when the DOE seeks to apply for grants that then impose requirements upon local districts
Thursday, March 5, 2015
SENATE SESSION, senate chamber at 10:00am
SB 194-FN, relative to epinephrine administration policies in postsecondary educational institutions. Ought to Pass with Amendment, Vote 5-0
SB 195/A-FN, requiring instruction in cursive handwriting and memorization of multiplication tables. Ought to Pass with Amendment, Vote 4-1
position — NEUTRAL
more information — The original bill was well-meaning, but an unfunded mandate, against Part 1 Article 28-A of the NH Constitution, but the amendment neutralizes that concern. It now permits districts to continue the instruction for cursive and multiplication tables as they choose.
** SB 228-FN-L, relative to the maximum total education grant, adjustment of stabilization grants, and adequate education funding for full-day kindergarten pupils. Ought to Pass, Vote 4-1
position — NAY on OTP
more information — Although it is reasonable and appropriate to reduce the stabilization funding given to districts with fewer students in the Free & Reduced Lunch program, the other part of the bill would fund full-day Kindergarten; compulsory attendance begins at age 6 by September 30th of that school year, so the state should not pay for full-time school for a year that is optional; it is a slippery slope towards mandatory Kindergarten as is required in 15 states as of March 2014 and some NY districts (Buffalo, Utica, NYC, Rochester, and Syracuse)
To contact the entire House Education Committee, you may send one email to HouseEducationCommittee@leg.state.nh.us
To find your NH senator, and his or her contact information, refer to the senate’s roster page.
The following is the Senate Education Committee‘s contact information.
John Reagan, Chairman
john.reagan111@gmail.com
(603)271-4063
Nancy Stiles, Vice Chairman
nancy.stiles@leg.state.nh.us
(603)271-3093
Kevin Avard
Kevin.Avard@.leg.state.nh.us
(603)271-4151
Molly Kelly
molly.kelly@leg.state.nh.us
(603)271-3207
David Watters
david.watters@leg.state.nh.us
(603)271-8631