CSG SOUTH UPDATE

Teacher Pay Raises

A new incentive program in Texas will give high-performing educators an opportunity to earn more than $100,000 annually, rewarding them for work in the state’s poorest school districts that have been impacted by COVID-19. By comparison, the statewide average salary for all teachers is slightly below $58,000.

A new infusion of state funds from the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) Teacher Incentive Allotment will boost educator stipends using a payout structure that rewards work done by excellent teachers in high-poverty schools. To qualify for the additional funding, districts must submit proposed teacher evaluation guidelines to TEA with plans that include growth measures and classroom observations. Once the state approves an evaluation plan, the district must then share a list of teachers who have received a “recognized,” exemplary” or “master” designation. To measure teachers’ effectiveness, the state reviews academic growth of students in their classrooms over time, rather than looking only at a single year’s achievement, thereby allowing them to demonstrate success even when students start the year behind their peers.

In addition to student growth, the state requires classroom observation to be included in a district’s evaluation plan so administrators can see how a teacher manages, engages and supports students. Districts can also include other criteria, like campus leadership or student feedback.

To date, more than 80 districts in Texas have been approved or are in the process to receive funds from the Teacher Incentive Allotment. After the state releases the funds to the school districts, 90% of the money must be spent on qualifying personnel. AL / AR / FL / GA / KY / LA / MO / MS / NC / OK / SC / TN / TX / VA / WV

Bipartisan Police Reform

The Florida Legislature passed a bipartisan police reform bill, which covers de-escalation training for law enforcement personnel, limits the use of chokeholds and requires police officers to disclose whether they have ever been investigated for using excessive force. Additionally, under the legislation, police officers will have a duty to intervene if they see another officer using excessive force and, where necessary, will be required to provide medical help in those situations. The legislation does not include penalties for officers, nor does it abolish qualified immunity that protects officers from certain lawsuits.

Parole Eligibility Expansion

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a criminal justice reform bill to expand parole eligibility for nonviolent criminal offenders. Under the new law, which takes effect July 1, individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes after June 30, 1995, will have an opportunity for a parole hearing after serving at least 25% or 10 years of their sentence. Current law states that a person convicted of a nonviolent crime must serve at least 25% of the sentence, regardless of the length. People convicted of murder, human trafficking and sex crimes will remain ineligible for parole.

Health Care Price Transparency

New legislation in Oklahoma will require health care providers to publicly post cash prices for common medical procedures. House Bill 1006 mandates that providers post—online, if possible —the basic cash cost to the patient for commonly performed procedures and services. Providers must include at least the top 20 most common procedures and services, though they can list more if they wish to do so. Listed prices do not have to include additional charges for complications or “exceptional treatment,” nor do they need to include rates negotiated through insurance plans.

Marijuana Legalization

The Virginia General Assembly voted to end criminal penalties for simple possession of marijuana beginning July 1, nearly three years sooner than the original bill stipulated. At the request of Gov. Ralph Northam, the House and Senate accelerated the timeline to July, making it legal for adults to possess up to an ounce of marijuana. Adult-use marijuana is permitted only in certain circumstances, with prohibitions remaining on smoking marijuana in public and while driving or on school grounds. Although households will be permitted to grow up to four plants beginning this July as long as they are properly identified, broader legalization with statewide retail will not go into effect until 2024.

Literacy Program

The Louisiana Department of Education launched a new initiative aimed at improving literacy among the state’s students. The new program, launched in April, provides resources for educators, families and community leaders to help students advance in reading comprehension and English proficiency. It is part of a broader initiative from state education leaders designed to tackle long-standing problems in Louisiana’s schools, providing clearly defined literacy goals while giving educators and families resources for students to succeed. According to the state’s annual fall reading report, only 40% of Louisiana kindergarteners, 42% of first graders, 48% of second graders and 50% of third graders are on or above grade level in literacy.