ISCA Advocacy Alert

ISCA Advocacy ALERT Week of April 18, 2016 Contact your legislators and tell them not to cut AEA funding! ASAP!  The AEA’s in Iowa provide valuable services to school districts across the state, including special education, professional development, media and technology services.  They also assist local school districts in school improvement efforts.  Iowa school counselors are highly dependent on their AEA representatives to share critical information and communication.  We have been fortunate to have some AEA representatives who have been very dedicated to school counseling and they recognize and understand the need for professional development that is different from other K-12 educators. Please contact your legislators and share your story about how beneficial AEA services have been.  If you do not have a representative from your AEA, please let them know that you need equitable resources.  You can share how folks like Sue Schirmer, Linda Linn, Amy Holst, and others have helped school counselors in developing comprehensive school counseling programs that include all of the necessary components and uses data to show accountability.  Many of Iowa’s school counselors have been fortunate to work with these wonderful folks, in one way or another. We need to tell the legislators our stories.  Sue Schirmer was instrumental in developing and promoting the School Counselor Supplemental Evaluation tool.  She has also organized the School Counselor Leadership Cohort to help school counselors mentor each other.  Dave Ford is working diligently on the Career and College Readiness information.  Many online classes and special PD opportunities have been available because of these AEA folks.  Some parts of the state are not as lucky to have these resources.  Now the legislators are contemplating more budget cuts.  Please contact them TODAY!!  AEA’S are facing monumental reductions.  Please contact your legislators at this link: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators  TODAY! Ask them to oppose the additional cuts in AEA funding and restore to better funding. Share specifics on how AEA has benefitted you in being a better school counselor!  The cuts will hurt our students! Light At The End Of The Tunnel? ·        There appears to be some hope that the 2016 session of the Iowa Legislature may come to an end the week of April 18th. ·        Spending deals have been reached in more than half of the nine budget areas, including economic development and natural resources. CTE Bill Sails Through The Senate ·        A 39-page updating and revision to Iowa career and technical education (CTE) programs is one step closer to the desk of Governor Branstad. ·        House File 2392 was amended and approved by the Senate 50-0.  Included in the amendment are; 1) a Department of Education status report on the implementation of the CTE revisions; and 2) clarifying that along with setting standards for career information and decision-making system, the Department will establish an approval process for vendor based decision-making systems which districts may use if they choose. ·        The bill now awaits consideration of the Senate changes by the House. Bills of interest: HF 2450 - Human Growth and Development - This bill prohibits a school district from enrolling a pupil in a course of instruction in human growth and development and from facilitating a pupil's attendance at an educational conference or seminar that includes information on human growth and development, unless the pupil's parent or guardian files prior written consent with the appropriate principal.  The bill also requires the board of directors of a school district to annually provide to a parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in the district information about human growth and development that may be provided to pupils at an educational conference or seminar for which the school district facilitates pupil attendance. On House debate calendar. HF 2392 (formerly HSB 620) - CTE - This bill relates to academic and career guidance and technical education courses, curriculum, and programs and to programs that involve students learning at a workplace. Passed the House 96-2. On Senate debate calendar. HF 2324 (formerly HSB 603) - Computer Classes - This bill calls the establishment of a computer science advisory committee to develop standards for computer applications and programming classes. Passed the House 96-2.  On Senate debate calendar. HF 2264 (formerly HF 2101) - Open Enrollment/Bullying - This bill states that if a student's district of residence determines that the student was previously subject to a founded incident of harassment or bullying while attending school in the district of residence, such student may participate in varsity interscholastic athletic contests and athletic competitions immediately upon open enrollment.  The bill was amendedin the Senate to make it become effective immediately after being signed into law by the Governor. Passed the House 95-1.  Amended and approved by the Senate 49-0. Passed by the House 99-0. Signed into law by the Governor.