[Local-Maine-Schools] Contact legislators NOW (esp. bills on Thursday)

[Dick Atlee]

I received this forward of MSMA mail from a friend this afternoon.
Worth reading, and taking action, particularly for those of us in 
Hancock County, since our Senator is the chair of the committee. 1854 
and 1866 (Thursday) do indeed look problematic.

Dick

-------- Original Message --------
Contact legislators now. This is very important! Public education is 
being attacked...Please contact legislators and oppose LD 1854 and LD 1866.

Re LD 1854: School districts should be able to offer choice to other 
public schools within their districts when it is feasible and does not 
hurt other small rural schools. Rural school districts are having a hard 
enough time as it is with tight budgets. We need to improve ALL schools, 
not force them to compete and then leave behind all the kids whose 
parents cannot afford to transport them to other schools! This would 
further the divide between the haves and the have-nots and the 
inequalities due to decreased access to good education for ALL children.

LD 1866 NO NO NO to using public tax dollars to support private 
religious schools! NG

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From: Maine School Management Association
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 3:14 PM
Subject: Contact legislators now


Maine School Management Association Bulletin
March 13, 2012
Contact legislators on evaluation and school choice bills

This is a reminder to school boards and superintendents to contact 
members of the Education Committee now on three important bills dealing 
with teacher evaluations and school choice that are being heard this 
week in Augusta.

Talking points are listed below based on positions taken by the 
legislative committees of the Maine School Boards Association and Maine 
School Superintendents Association.

Testimony at the hearing is the most effective way to voice opinion. For 
those who cannot attend, an email list for the Education Committee is at 
the end of this bulletin.

The hearings will be held in Room 202 of the Cross Office Building, 111 
Sewall St., Augusta, which is next door to the Statehouse. The hearings 
are broadcast live over the Internet and can be heard by clicking on: 
www.maine.gov/legis/audio/education_cmte.html

Up for review are:

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An Act to Ensure Effective Teaching and School Leadership. L.D. 1858
Wednesday, March 14, 1 p.m.

This bill would require school districts to adopt and implement teacher 
and principal evaluation systems that meet criteria established by the 
Department of Education by the 2015-16 school year.

Associations’ position: Support.

   a. This legislation, if passed, combined with the adoption last year 
of a three-year probationary period for teachers, would represent the 
most significant improvement in teacher employment law in decades.
   b. An “ineffective” rating for two consecutive years constitutes 
grounds for nonrenewal of a teacher contract.
   c. Teachers can appeal/grieve non-renewal decisions if the process is 
not properly followed.
   d. The professional judgment involved in an evaluation is not subject 
to grievance, but can be appealed to the School Board.
   e. Proposal protects local control over school policy since School 
Boards would adopt a version of the system that works bests for their 
district.

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An Act to Expand Educational Opportunities for Maine Students. L.D. 1854
Thursday, March 15, 1 p.m.

Associations’ position: Opposed

This bill establishes an open enrollment program where existing school 
districts and the private academies can decide to open up their 
enrollment to students in other public schools.

   a. Allows any public or approved private academy to open its 
enrollment to students in other public schools, with no consideration of 
how that would affect the finances of the sending district, which has no 
say in the transfer.
   b. Shifts the cost of supporting tuition to private schools onto the 
local property taxpayer in the sending district.
   c. Requires taxpayers in the open enrollment school district to pick 
up the local share for students coming in from other districts.
   d. Endangers equitable and adequate funding for all public schools in 
Maine.
   e. Could lead to school closures, particularly in rural Maine.

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An Act to Remove Inequity in Student Access to Certain Schools, LD 1866
Thursday, March 15, 1 p.m.

Associations’ position: Opposed

This bill removes language in current statute that prohibits public 
tuition dollars from going to private religious schools.

   a. Removes prohibition in current law of using public funding for 
private religious schools.
   b. Requires local property taxpayers to pick up the tuition bill 
currently being paid by parents who choose to send their children to 
religious schools.

Education Committee Email
Sen. Brian Langley, chair: langley4legislature at myfairpoint.net
Sen. Garrett Mason: garrettpaulmason at gmail.com
Sen. Justin Alfond: justin at justinalfond.com
Rep. David Richardson, chair: richardsond at hermon.net
Rep. Peter Edgecomb: pedgecom at maine.rr.com
Rep. Howard McFadden: mcfaddenh at roadrunner.com
Rep. Peter Johnson: rumridge27 at gmail.com
Rep. Joyce Maker: gjmaker at gmail.com
Rep. Michael McClellan: mmcclell at maine.rr.com
Rep. Richard Wagner: rwagner at bates.edu
Rep. Mary Nelson: mpn3 at maine.rr.com
Rep. Stephen Lovejoy: steve.lovejoy at myfairpoint.net
Rep. Helen Rankin: rankin8076 at roadrunner.com
Rep. Madonna Soctomah: Sipayik at midmaine.com

Contact: Dale Douglass, executive director douglass at msmaweb.com
Victoria Wallack, communications director vwallack at msmaweb.com
Telephone: 207-622-3473 or 1-800-660-8484
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