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Latest News
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VASSP
Board of Directors hold their annual policy meeting with
Governor Kaine. Also present were Virginia Board of Education
President Mark Emblidge and Secretary of Education Tom Morris.
During the annual NASSP-NAESP
National Leaders’ Conference (NLC) in Washington, DC, 450
principals met with legislators on Capitol Hill to discuss
federal funding for education and legislation to improve
services for K–12 schools. Above, Greg Wheeler (Appomattox),
Janice Koslowski (Loudoun), David Ellena (Chesterfield) and
Larry Lenz ( Essex) meet with Senator Webb.
Urge your
representatives to increase federal funding for education.
Visit the
Principal’s Legislative Action Center (PLAC)
today!
Outstanding Principal Awards
Application
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Outstanding High School Principal of the Year (Link)
To Apply. VASSP Deadline: February 13, 2009 |
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Outstanding Middle School Principal of the Year (Link)
To Apply. VASSP Deadline: February 13, 2009 |
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Outstanding Secondary School Assistant Principal of the
Year (Link)
To Apply. VASSP Deadline: November 14, 2008 |
BOE Update 6/19/08 "State Board
poised to review regulations on school fees; more CTE
Governor's schools approved."
Update: State Board of
Education Meeting and Retreat May 21-22, 2008: "State
Board holds annual retreat to review Department of
Education initiatives supporting Board objectives
including a number of online aids for teachers and
students. Board urged by legal aid group to revise
regulations to prohibit school fees."
VASSP
Announces Its Opposition to Using Assistant Principals
As “Data Coordinators”
ATTACHED
memorandum expresses VASSP’s opposition to any proposal that
would supplant an assistant principal position by specifying
that one assistant principal in every school function as a
“data coordinator” rather than as an assistant to the
principal.
BOE 2008:
January,
February and
March Reports
REBENCHMARKING: Downturn in economy resulting in dismal
state budget figures could affect SOQ rebenchmarking in
2008, a process aimed at
revising current funding figures for K-12 to reflect
inflation and other necessary increases to maintain the
“status quo.”
VASSP
Building Renovation On Schedule (See
Updated Photos)
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Outstanding
High School Principal of the Year (Link)
To Apply
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Outstanding
Middle School Principal of the Year (Link)
To Apply
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Outstanding
Secondary School Assistant Principal of the Year (Link)
To Apply |
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LATEST
ISSUE OF EDLEADER NEWSLETTER: Feb 2008 (Click)
Principals’ Pay
Increases Don’t Match Cost of Living
(see
national study)
State Board grants
initial approval for new Literacy Assessment; Praxis I to be
"gatekeeper" for teacher prep programs; provisional license to be
granted for one year for assessment completion. New national poll
puts teaching profession in top three after scientists and doctors
- up over 19%! (Details)
Senator Allen
introduces bill to ease financial and regulatory burdens of NCLB.
(Details)
VASSP Capitol Issues Reports
Available on this Web Site (Go to Capitol
Issues) Check out
Priority Legislation for latest action on bills targeted by VASSP.
Education Poll
titled, "Opinion in Virginia Divided Over
School Vouchers" has been posted as a PDF document on the
Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute (CEPI) web site at
www.cepionline.org
Charter School bill
still awaiting
action in Senate Education; Committee passes home-school bill to
accept high school degree as criteria for parent/teacher on 8-7
vote. See report on legislation
still pending
.
"Charter
education bill
and a bill to require written contracts for all non-licensed
employees Fail to pass." See other
failed legislation.
Commonwealth Education Poll:
Majority Sees SOL Test as Appropriate Requirement for Graduation.
Virginians Consistent in Support for Education Funding (Link)
Congress Passes IDEA: Congress
has reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) after three years of difficult work to revise federal
special education law. The compromise between the House and the
Senate contains many positive provisions advocated by VASSP/NASSP
members related to the discipline of special education students,
reduction of burdensome paperwork provisions, and reform of
the contentious litigation process. To view additional information
please go to:
Click |
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WHO
IS MY LEGISLATOR?
2008 General Assembly Update 8/18/08: Changes
in Virginia School Law (Click)
7/1/08 "New education legislation to go into
effect on July 1 so check out "What's
Hot in July!"
3/13/08:
Capitol Issues Priority Education Bill Update: Final action on
key education bills favor VASSP positions. Bills that were
recently defeated or amended to lessen impact on administrators
include: Bill to expand statute on religious expression
favorably amended, students allowed choice regarding advanced or
advanced technical diploma, bill to require reporting of
unexcused absences to DMV defeated, and bills to require
additional PE for all students and regulation of competitive
foods amended to be aspirational rather than mandated.
Failed Bills
3/13/08:
Budget Note: 2008 General Assembly expected to adjourn today
and to accept House and Senate conference recommendations paving
the way for acceptance of a state budget for the next
biennium. Budget includes state share for salary incentive of
2% (requiring local match), beginning in July of 2009, for
school personnel including principals and assistant principals.
Also included is funding for rebenchmarking of SOQ. Budget
Update 3:8
BUDGET
UPDATE March 7, 2008: "No budget in sight as 2008
General Assembly Session approaches Saturday deadline."
Dueling press releases take precedence over compromise budget
reports as House and Senate conferees continue to disagree over a
final state budget. To the relief of local governments and
school divisions, the House has agreed to acceed to the Senate's
demand that they drop their plan for a new SOQ rebenchmarking
methodology. This compromise will necessitate removal
of supplementary construction funding, according to House
conferees, and puts raises for school personnel in doubt.
Senate conferees continue to negotiate for second-year
raises
General Assembly Update, March 3: Local government and school
division representatives hold Capitol Press Conference in attempt
to expose faulty House budget rebenchmarking methodology that
would mean the loss of milliions to local school divisions. (Click)
BUDGET
ALERT :
OPPOSE HOUSE BUDGET ITEM
140#52h.
This item seeks to set in motion a new rebenchmarking methodology
for updating salaries for public school personnel by discounting
local salary incentives and applying only state salary incentive
funding to calculate salary averages for purposes of
rebenchmarking. This year's House budget uses the new methodology
to rebenchmark support salaries resulting in a loss of over $60M
per year to localities. If the new methodology is approved and
applied to all salaries in the next biennium, localities could
lose over $400M for rebenchmarking, a loss neither they nor local
school divisions could sustain. CONTACT your local Senator today
and ask them to OPPOSE ITEM 140#52h in the proposed House
budget. It is particularly important to contact members of the
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE if you are a constituent:
Membership:
Colgan (Chairman)-D,
Wampler-R,
Stosch-R,
Houck-D,
Howell-D,
Saslaw-D,
Stolle-R,
Quayle-R,
Norment-R,
Hanger-R,
Watkins-R,
Miller, Y.B.-D,
Marsh-D,
Lucas-D,
Whipple-D,
Reynolds-D. Fax
number for Senators is 804-698-7651.
Important Bills to Track in 2008
Capitol Issues Update for Week of January 28: VASSP
following key education bills remaining in House and Senate
subcommittees. See lobbyist's notes on important legislation still
"in play" and click on link to view entire bill.
Finance Bills Update (click)
CAPITOL ISSUES UPDATE:
2.22.08: VASSP is continuing to
follow priority education bills that have passed
both the House and Senate or are awaiting final
action. VASSP Lobbyist Bet Neale is most closely
monitoring the following bills in your priority
list: HB 214,242,395,1135,1218,1242,1438 SB
114,136,636,721. (Click)
2.19.08 House and Senate conferees unveil biennial
budget recommendations. Disagreement over funding
for Governor's pre-K initiative and use of rainy day
fund leads to first Senate budget minority report in
over 3 decades. State salary incentives vary with
Senate including a 2.5% increase beginning in
December of '09 and the House recommending a 2%
increase beginning in December of '08. (Click) 2.13.08 CAPITOL ISSUES
UPDATE
UPDATE: 2.7.08
SB
537
and
HB 438
FAIL
to go forward in House and Senate Committees.
VASSP
leads opposition to Senate bill that would
mandate grade-changing policy and House bill to
require
reporting of unexcused absences to DMV.
2.03.08 (details)
House Education Committee defeats HB 375, to allow
non-public school students to participate in sports
activities. Senate Education Subcommittee to hear
additional testimony on SB 537, to require specific
school board policy on grade-changing.
Virginia Department of Education
Job Link
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