Committee Meeting Information

October 25, 2006

University of Wyoming Outreach Building (951 North Poplar)

Casper, Wyoming

 

Committee Members Present

Senator Henry H.R. “Hank” Coe, Co-Chairman

Representative Jeff Wasserburger, Co-Chairman

Senator Tex Boggs

Senator Kit Jennings

Senator Charles Townsend

Representative Debbie Hammons

Representative Del McOmie

Representative Lorraine Quarberg

Representative Dave Zwonitzer

Representative Steve Harshman

Representative Becket Hinckley

 

Committee Members Absent

Senator Robert Peck

Representative Patrick Goggles

Representative Kurt Bucholz

 

Other legislators present

Senator Charles Scott

 

 

Legislative Service Office Staff

Dave Nelson, School Finance Manager, Brenda Long, School Finance Analyst, Matthew Sackett, Associate Research Analyst, Joseph A. Rodriguez, Staff Attorney

 

Others Present at Meeting

Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet
for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.

Executive Summary

This was a one day meeting of the Committee in Casper, Wyoming.  The foremost item on the agenda was the final report of the Merit Scholarship Committee.  The Merit Scholarship Committee provided testimony regarding the success curriculum, curriculum choice and other necessary revisions to the bill.  Draft legislation regarding those items was presented to the Committee.  The Committee also received a report from the Charter School Subcommittee.  Testimony was further provided to the Committee regarding alternative schools, virtual schools and summer school/extended day programs.  The Committee voted to sponsor 07LSO-0210.W1 regarding summer school and extended day programs.  The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for December 4^th and 5^th in Cheyenne.

 

Call To Order/Opening Remarks

Co-Chairman Coe called the meeting to order at 8:40 a.m.  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.  Please refer to Appendix 2 to review the Committee Meeting Agenda.

 

Approval of Minutes

Upon motion by Representative McOmie and seconded by Representative Quarberg the minutes of the September 20-21, 2006 meeting of the Joint Interim Education Committee were approved as presented.

 

The Education Merit Scholarship Committee Final Report to the Education Committee

Senator Boggs, Committee Co-Chair and Representative Harshman, Committee Co-Chair addressed the Committee and presented the Committee with Appendices 3, 4 and 6.  Representative Harshman gave a summary of the history of the Education Merit Scholarship.  The scholarship was implemented within six months of passage into law.  The Committee has developed four levels of merit scholarship and a need based scholarship.  The Committee has delegated much of the administration of the scholarship to the WDE.  The success curriculum has been a big topic since implementation of the scholarship.  The Merit Scholarship Committee is recommending three bills to the Committee.  Representative Harshman discussed the proposed bills with the Committee.  The success curriculum will not fully affect students until 2011.  This will be a phased in process.  By 2011 all students qualifying for the scholarship must be proficient with PAWS.  Students will by default be required to take the success curriculum and if they are not interested they will need to opt out of the curriculum.  The actual program expenses are very close to the initial projections.  When the program is fully loaded the estimate is an annual cost of about 16 million dollars.  Senator Boggs reported that it looks like the account will be fully funded by 2008.  This program may be the legislation of the century. 

 

State Superintendent McBride addressed the Committee.  Dr. McBride presented the Committee with Appendix 7.  This program will benefit the children of the state for generations.  The success curriculum starts with full day kindergarten.  Other key parts supporting the success curriculum are the extended day and summer school programs.  The WDE is recommending only one success curriculum instead of the two they were authorized to prepare.  Wyoming is the first state in the nation to be allowed to bank student scores on the proficiency test.  Dr. McBride thinks that the languages of the Wyoming tribes, reading and writing proficiency in the realm of Spanish speaking students, as well as sign language should be counted in the foreign language requirements under the success curriculum.  Dr. McBride is asking for clarification on GED students, do they have to be proficient on the PAWS test to qualify for the scholarship. 

 

Senator Scott indicated that the merit scholarship program is an accomplishment of a lifetime and was truly a team effort.  Senator Scott urged the Committee to keep the success curriculum requirements rigorous. 

 

Joel Kupe of Greybul High School and Jason Mincer of WEA wanted to discuss implementation of the success curriculum.  The WEA members do have some concerns regarding flexibility for students and districts as well and how the success curriculum would affect smaller school districts.  Not all high schools across the state can offer all of the courses every year either because of a lack of students in that course or staffing issues.  The WEA is recommending changes in the number of courses allowed not the exact courses identified.  Mr. Mincer handed out to the Committee Appendix 8.  The concerns of the WEA regarding the scholarship are more on the implementation side. 

 

Rollin Abernethy of the University of Wyoming gave the Committee Appendix 9 and reported that the University is very pleased with the proposed success curriculum.  Mr. Abernethy indicated that the curriculum will lead to better preparation and raise the bar and would like the Committee to look at the senior year math requirement.  Taking a math class in the senior is a very important tool in preparation for college.  Students need to take a math class their senior year. 

 

Jim Lowham, Wyoming Association of School Administrators presented the Committee with Appendix 10.  The merit scholarship is a great deed with great hope and promise.  Mr. Lowham encouraged the Committee to continue communicating the purpose of the Hathaway Scholarship.  Mr. Lowham indicated that small steps in the implementation of the success curriculum is okay and will result in greater participation.  An all or nothing approach may be daunting to prospective scholarship applicants. 

 

07LSO-0129.C1, Hathaway scholarship eligibility (success curriculum) 

The bill was handed out to the Committee and is labeled as Appendix 5.  Dave Gruver of LSO discussed the bill with the Committee.  Mr. Gruver specifically pointed out that the bill deals with border students, addresses the PAWS proficiency requirement which does not kick in until the graduating class of 2011.  The bill outlines the success curriculum for those students graduating in 2011.    The bill further outlines the annual reporting requirements.

 

07LSO-0130.C1, Curriculum choice

The bill was handed out to the Committee and is labeled as Appendix 13.  Dave Gruver of LSO discussed the bill with the Committee.  The concept of the bill is really simple.  The success curriculum is the default curriculum for every student and in order to avoid that the parents will need to opt out for their children. 

 

07LSO-0131.C1, Hathaway scholarship program

The bill was handed out to the Committee and is labeled as Appendix 14.  Dave Gruver of LSO discussed the bill with the Committee.  This bill is the cleanup bill.  Most of the issues have been dealt with by WDE through rule and regulation.  All other non success curriculum changes regarding Hathaway program should be made in this bill before it goes to the legislature.

 

Charter schools Subcommittee

Senator Jennings, Subcommittee Co-chairman, reported to the Committee regarding the October 18, 2006 subcommittee meeting in Lander.  The subcommittee is not recommending any major substantive statutory changes.  The recommended statutory changes are minor and provide clarification.  Senator Jennings provided the Committee with Appendix 15 which is 07LSO-0267.W1.  In addition the Subcommittee is requesting that the WDE develop a procedure manual for filing a charter application.  

 

Community College Health Insurance Contributions

Mike McVay, A&I Budget Division Administrator addressed the Committee at the request of the Committee.  The actual issue addressed by Mr. McVay is how the 85%-15% is paid on community college employee health insurance.   At this point A&I is not anticipating any money being taken away from either the University or the community colleges.  If the employee's salary is being paid out of the general fund then the state will pay 85% of the health insurance premium.  The problem is that they have been paying 85% of the premium for all community college employees even though only 61% of the salaries are paid out of the general fund.  Although they have indicated to the community colleges that they will not reduce the 85% in this biennium they have interpreted the statute to mean that they should only pay 61% of the 85% premium.  They have informed the community colleges that unless the statute is changed they will only pay 61% of the 85% premium in the next biennium.  The cost of this decision to the community colleges is about 12 million dollars per year.   

 

Alternative Schools

Larry Picus, Picus & Associates and Mary Kay Hill from the WDE addressed the Committee and presented the Committee with Appendices 16 and 17.    There are some fairly large alternative schools that get a large amount of funding.  The initial intent in the funding model was that alternative schools would remain small settings, addressing children with a special need, as part of student at-risk program strategy.  The proposal is that if alternative schools go above 50 students they be funded as regular schools with all students being classified as at risk. 

 

Virtual Schools

Larry Picus, Picus & Associates and Terry Wigert and Chuck Mitchell from the WDE addressed the committee.  There is a lot of interest in this issue.  They provided the Committee with Appendix 18, and 19.  The student is treated and funded as if they are going to their home school.   The accountability for the child’s performance is in the child’s home school district.  The WDE representatives walked the Committee through the proposed bill.  Based upon the discussion at the previous Committee meetings the bill was aptly drafted.    The Committee discussed whether a task force needs to be implemented as part of the legislation to further study the issue of virtual schools. 

 

Summer School-Extended Day Program

Dave Nelson of LSO addressed the Committee and provided Appendix 20.  This bill simply extends funding for these programs into the next school year.  The second component is a clarification of the intent surrounding enrichment programs.  In addition the instructional hours were modified in the bill.   

 

Senator Jennings moved do pass on 07LSO-0210.W1.  The motion was seconded by Representative McOmie.  The question being called and a vote having been taken the motion carried.  See Appendix 21.

 

Public Comment

Ann Meyer, speech/therapist from Natrona County School district addressed the Committee and presented the Committee with Appendix 11.  Ms. Meyer wanted to discuss the process of reimbursement for national certification for people who, like her, are nationally certified but which are not national board certified teachers.  Ms. Meyer wants the Committee to consider expanding the definition of national board certified teachers to include other nationally certified individuals who educate children in Wyoming.  They want the Committee to consider reimbursing them for the cost of their certification and to be considered for the annual bonus granted to national board certified teachers. 

 

Suzy Delger provided the Committee with Appendix 12.  She is advocating for those professionals who go above and beyond what is required for employment in a school district.  Ms. Delger echoes the plea made by Ann Meyer that these individuals should be recognized in the same fashion as national board certified teachers.  These individuals are not being paid in the same fashion as teachers.  They are rewarded by the districts for national certifications but they are asking the state to reward them as well. 

 

Other Business/Future Committee Meetings

The next meeting is December 4^th and 5^th in Cheyenne.

 

Meeting Adjournment

There being no further business, Co-Chairman Wasserburger adjourned the meeting at 3:35 p.m.

                                    

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Senator Coe, Co-Chairman