July 2014 OSSBA Journal

Volume XII • No. 3 • July 2014

Here Come the Unemployment Claims

A Publication of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association

Online Policy Program a service of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association

At this time the OSSBA will be offering a one-time reduction in the cost of placing your policy manual online. The first year fees have been reduced as follows: Policy Pages

Conversion Fee

Hosting Fee

Total Cost

<300

$1000.00

$700.00

$1,700.00

300 to 500

$1450.00

$1000.00

$2,450.00

501 to 700

$1,700.00

$1,300.00

$3,000.00

The reduced prices will save districts over $200 in fees associated with the placement of your school districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy manual online. In future years, all the district would pay is the annual hosting fee. Please contact Julie Miller at juliem@ossba.org or call 888-528-3571 for more information.

Volume XII â&#x20AC;˘ No. 3 â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

Oklahoma Visioning Committee........................................ 1

How Many Horses Do You Have?..................................... 12

678,000 Reasons..................................................................... 2

NSBA Advocacy Institute................................................... 13

Presidential Ponderings........................................................ 3

Frequently Asked Financial Questions............................. 14

OKVisionEd........................................................................... 4

OSSBA Partners................................................................... 15

Student Handbooks and Updating Your District's Policy Manual........................................................................ 6

Here Come the Unemployment Claims........................... 16

Vacancies on a Board of Education..................................... 8 Join us for The Conference 2014....................................... 10

OSSBA Day at the Capitol.................................................. 21 Board Member Resource Materials Order Form............ 22

Publishing Schedule Note - Due to unforeseen circumstances, OSSBA made a temporary change in its Journal publishing schedule. In addition to this July issue, you will receive another issue in August. We will then resume the normal bi-monthly publishing schedule.

2014

Officers and BOARD OF DIRECTORS Willa Jo Fowler - President Enid

Dr. Floyd Simon, Jr. - President-Elect Clinton Vacant - First Vice President

Vacant - Second Vice President Dustin Tackett - Immediate Past President Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center John D. Tuttle - NSBA Board of Directors Kellyville

The Oklahoma State School Boards Association offers services that support, safeguard and advocate for Boards of Education in order to improve public education.

OKLAHOMA SCHOOL BOARD JOURNAL Shawn Hime Executive Director and Editor Christy Watson Director of Communications and Marketing and Editor Kelly Ross Design Editor Official publication of Oklahoma State School Boards Association, Inc. 2801 N. Lincoln Boulevard, Ste. 125 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105 (405) 528-3571 â&#x20AC;˘ (888)528-3571 toll-free (405) 528-5695 fax www.ossba.org ISSN 0748-8092

The Oklahoma State School Boards Association, publisher of The Oklahoma School Board Journal, reserves the right to accept or reject any material, editorial or advertisement submitted to the Journal for publication.

Advertisements appearing in the Journal do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the OSSBA of the advertised materials or services.

District 1 Mike Ray, Guymon Roger Edenborough, Goodwell District 2 Terry Graham, Burlington Eva Martens, Fairview District 3 Willa Jo Fowler, Enid Cheryl Lane, Frontier

District 4 Mike Mullins, Sand Springs Ruth Ann Fate, Tulsa Vacant District 5 Don Tice, Oologah-Talala Rodney Schilt, Adair

District 6 Dr. Dan Snell, Norman Frances Percival, Millwood Ron Millican, Oklahoma City District 7 John D. Tuttle, Kellyville Keith Sandlin, Shawnee

District 8 Brenda Barney, Wagoner Jere A. Gibson , Fort Gibson

District 9 Dr. Floyd Simon, Jr., Clinton Kurt Linstead, Weatherford District 10 Beth Schieber, Okarche Jackie McComas, Anadarko District 11 Donna Ronio, Lawton Karol Haney, Cache

District 12 Ed Tillery, Whitebead Pat LaMascus, Wynnewood District 13 Roy Justice, Mannsville Tony Hawkins, Madill

District 14 Dee Lockhart, Haworth Kevin Blake, Battiest

District 15 Dr. Joe Williams, Meridian Tech. Center Dustin Tackett, Caddo-Kiowa Tech. Center

"It's time for all of those who believe in public education to stop waiting for someone else's next great idea for reform. It's time for those in public education to lead the way."

I’ll never forget the first time I tried to teach the Pythagorean Theorem to a class of 16- and 17-year-olds at Lexington High School. They were worried about driving, and that week’s football game. The last thing on their minds was an equation involving a right triangle.

What that first teaching experience taught me was that I wouldn’t get the best from my students until they knew me and I knew them. Until that relationship had been established, my training in the ways of calculus, trigonometry and statistics would fall short.

As educators, we put relationships with our students front and center. We wholeheartedly believe that in doing so, our students are the beneficiaries not only of the content we teach them but the life lessons we share along the way.

What I could not have imagined when I first started teaching is that there’s another audience that also needs educating when it comes to public education – the public.

For the last two decades, “reformers” have been the overwhelming voice driving education policy and legislation in Oklahoma and throughout the country. Too often, they begin with the argument that public schools are failing and in need of a savior. The result are reform policies like those enacted in Oklahoma the last few years – high school graduation tests, the third-grade reading law and A-F report cards, just to name a few. These are fixes supposed to repair a system that may need improvement but is far from broken. continued on page 20 Here’s a sneak peek of the goals of the OKVisionEd project: • To ensure the voice of local public school leadership drives public school policy • To rebuild trust and support for public education • To promote meaningful engagement of community stakeholders with their public schools • To communicate a clear and effective vision for the future of public schools in our state For more information, see the related article on page 4.

1

On Monday, March 31, approximately 30,000 educators, parents and community members from across the state gathered for a historic event: to rally at the Capitol with a unified appeal to legislators.

"It was amazing to look across a sea of parents, students, teachers, community members and business leaders and know they came to the state Capitol with the same message: It is time to make public education a priority,” said Shawn Hime, executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association.

Improved education funding was one focus of the rally, but it wasn’t the only one. School board members, teachers and parents across the state had serious concerns about a number of legislative issues and wanted policy makers to know they wanted to be heard on issues affecting Oklahoma’s schools and students.

“We are being asked to do more and more in education every year with less money,” Debra Robins, a Newcastle Public Schools teacher told The Oklahoman. “We need the help. We love what we do. We love teaching, but we want to be able to do it right.”

Parents and other education advocates made their wishes loudly known on other education issues, include third-grade retention and academic standards.

By session’s end, legislators reached a deal to increase education funding $80 million — about $40 million for school employee health benefits and $40 million for schools through the funding formula. Steven Crawford, executive director of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma 2

School Administration, said schools should conservatively plan for a $50 increase per weighted student.

Despite an increase of more than 40,000 students since 2008, Oklahoma public schools are operating with $200 million less dollars in the state’s funding formula, 1,500 fewer educators, and have faced greater per pupil cuts than in any other state (Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, September 2013). Without adequate funding and resources for training, schools are struggling to meet recently enacted state reforms such as: Achieving Classroom Excellence (ACE) graduation requirements; ever-changing academic standards; Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Program (TLE), the state’s teacher evaluation system; and the A-F grading system.

Citing 678,000 reasons (the number of students in Oklahoma public schools), rally attendees requested legislators make students a priority this legislative session. Following the guest speakers’ remarks, rally participants met with their legislators to discuss the importance of funding education and to offer solutions to end painful funding cuts. Guest speakers included Peter Markes, Oklahoma Teacher of the Year; Asher Nees, President of Oklahoma Association of Student Councils from Norman Public Schools; David Blatt, Executive Director of Oklahoma Policy Institute; Rep. Scott Inman; Rep. Lee Denney; John Tuttle, OSSBA director and NSBA president-elect; Erika Vinson, student at Warner Public Schools; Jeffrey Corbett, President of the Oklahoma PTA; Dr. Keith Ballard, Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools; and Floyd Cox, Emcee. continued on page 20

Presidential Ponderings School board members are unique. Yes, you run for office just like any other publicly elected official. Your family, friends, and supporters foot the bill for your campaign. Just like candidates for other elected positions, you struggle in the time leading up to the election, and you wait, anxiously, for the results to come in on voting day. Then, after a victory, the election board presents you with a nice certificate, just like other elected officials.

That’s pretty much where the similarities end.

After the campaign and election, you keep going to your job. You don’t move into a new office with an assistant. You don’t receive a paycheck. That’s what makes school board members so special.

Despite those things, you chose to run for the school board, and as a board member, you are responsible for determining the policy and direction of your district, staff, and students.

You do this while attending ball games and community events right alongside them.

Since you are more visible and accessible than most publicly elected officials, you also hold the responsibility of setting a standard for the community and students who are watching.

Setting a high standard involves acting with integrity, even when no one is watching. Earning a reputation for acting with integrity means that while some people may be unhappy with some of your decisions, they will know that you acted in the way you believe is right.

You approve the expenditure of funds for the district staff ’s required and beneficial professional development. You also approve funds for student trips to attend various competitions and events, because you believe them to be important to the development of the student. Staff and students have a responsibility to attend these events and fully participate. Otherwise, why spend the money?

So imagine that a staff member skips out on their professional development at noon to go to a movie or a student skips out on an academic competition to go to the mall – they would be admonished and disciplined. They’ve wasted school funds, and consequences would be logical.

However, the community as a whole is unlikely to be interested in these individual occurrences.

That community disinterest is unlikely to translate to the actions of individual school board members. When you’re utilizing school

funds, the community wants to know where their money is going and that they are getting their money’s worth. Acting with integrity does not only mean being where you are supposed to be and properly allocating your expenditures – those are just the easily documented things.

No, acting with integrity also means not shaving time off of your professional development. You don’t arrive an hour late or leave two hours early. You reflect the exact amount of time spent engaged in professional development in your credit hours. You don’t go out to lunch on school funds when lunch was provided at an event. If you act with integrity, you will always be on the correct side. You wouldn’t overlook disciplining a student who skipped out on a trip or a staff member who fudged the hours on their professional development form.

So keeping that in mind, remember that you set the standard for your district. Setting a high standard for yourself means that staff, students, and parents shouldn’t be surprised when you hold them to the same standard. You hold expectations of them, and they of you.

It’s the nature of things that you will get more publicity for the bad than the good, but doing the right thing is more important than publicity. By acting ethically and with integrity, in all areas, you avoid giving critics their ammunition.

Being a school board member is a tough, often thankless, job. It’s also an important job, and we at OSSBA thank you for doing it. n

Willa Jo Fowler was elected as President of OSSBA at the Delegate Assembly, August 24, 2013. She is a board member from Enid Public Schools and serves as the District 3 Director for OSSBA.

3

As we near the end of the writing process for the OKvisionEd report, we now begin the work of developing a public relations and marketing campaign to share the good work with Oklahoma public education stakeholders. As board of education members, you are perhaps the most important stakeholders in this process.

As such, I would like to share a few snippets from the OKvisionEd report with you. Enjoy the sneak peek of the good work that many of your fellow board members had a hand in creating!

Stephanie Hyder INTRODUCTION Responding to External Reform Efforts “Coming together to deliberate about mutually justifiable educational practices can best serve the education of our children.”

Community control of schooling was previously the norm in education policymaking. However, the politics of education have moved away from local control to state and federal control. Over the past 50 years, the federal government’s role in local school policy has increased dramatically, culminating in The No Child Left Behind Act, the 1958 National Defense Education Act (NDEA), and the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). As local control diminishes, our democratic basis of policies and democratic participation are declining.

Visioning Coordinating Team Members Mr. Steven Crawford, Executive Director, Cooperative Council of Oklahoma School Administration Dr. Jeff Mills, Executive Director, Oklahoma State School Boards Association Dr. Joe Siano, Superintendent, Norman Public Schools Dr. Jean Cate, Associate Director, K20 Center, University of Oklahoma Stephanie Hyder, Project Facilitator, Oklahoma State School Boards Association Visioning Steering Committee Members Climate, Culture and Organization Efficacy Cathy Burden, Superintendent, Union Public Schools Dan Snell, Board Member, 4

Norman Public Schools Expanded Learning Opportunities for Student Success Sandra Park, Deputy Superintendent, Oklahoma City Public Schools Roger Sharp, Board Member, Indian Capital Technology Center Financial Resources Shawn Hime, Superintendent, Enid Public Schools Glen Cosper, Board Member, Moore-Norman Technology Center Governance, Leadership and Accountability John Cox, Superintendent, Peggs Public Schools Dustin Tackett, Board Member, Caddo Kiowa Technology Center Partnerships for Human and Organizational Capital Development Sean McDaniel,

Superintendent, Mustang Public Schools Dr. Kent Shellenberger, Superintendent, Bethany Public Schools Physical Resources: Jerry Needham, Superintendent, Oktaha Public Schools Rodney Schilt, Board Member, Adair Public Schools Teaching, Learning and Assessments for Student Success Ann Caine, Superintendent, Stillwater Public Schools Willa Jo Fowler, Board Member, Enid Public Schools Beth Schieber, Board Member, Okarche Public Schools Committee Members and OU Research Assistants: Rob Armstrong, Superintendent, Oologah-

Fullan and Hargreaves (2009) propose five priorities for educational change: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

An inspiring and inclusive vision Public engagement No achievement without investment Corporate educational responsibility Students as partners in change

These priorities establish the means of improving the professionalism of educators and bringing coherence — not standardization — to our schools to achieve positive changes for the common good.

The OKvisionEd report provides a distinct vision for public education to start a new conversation.

In 2012, the leadership of Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration and Oklahoma State School Boards Association joined forces to take a proactive lead in state and national discussions about the future direction of public education. By using our collective initiative to develop and communicate a clear and effective vision for the future of our public schools, we can now focus our energies into building consensus and support for a vision founded on research-based initiatives to improve student learning.

Public education in a representative democracy requires the preparation of individuals to participate and deliberate in that democracy (Guntman, 1999). In a democracy, local control is valued and is based on a trust in the people

Talala Public Schools Michael Broyles, Superintendent, Braggs Public Schools Dr. Ann Caine, Superintendent, Stillwater Public Schools Eddie Coleman, Superintendent, OKACTE - Kiamichi Technology Center Glen Cosper, School Board, Moore-Norman Technology Center Dr. John Cox, Superintendent, Peggs Public Schools Rebecca Damron, Graduate Student, University of Oklahoma Dr. Tom Deighan, Superintendent, Lawton Public Schools Scott Farmer, Superintendent, Sallisaw Public Schools Willa Jo Fowler, Board Member, Enid Public

Schools Dr. Jim Glaze, Superintendent, Chickasha Public Schools Derald Glover, Superintendent, Ft. Gibson Public Schools Dr. Leigh Goodson, Board Member, Tulsa Public Schools Terry Grissom, Superintendent, OROS Asher Public Schools Kirt Hartzler, Superintendent, Union Public Schools Melonie Hau, Assistant Superintendent, Enid Public Schools Shawn Hime, Superintendent, Enid Public Schools Kevin Hime, Superintendent, Clinton Public Schools Amanda James, Graduate Student, University of Oklahoma

to use their collective judgment to govern themselves, without external controls (Howe & Meens, 2012). Coming together to deliberate about mutually justifiable educational practices can best serve the education of our children.

Through the work of OKvisionEd, the leaders of public education propose strategies for propelling forward education in Oklahoma.

•

Our Vision for Oklahoma Public Education All Oklahoma public school students will learn in an environment that maximizes their potential and develops them as leaders who will contribute to a meaningful life in a democracy, propelling our state forward into a competitive, global society.

-OKvisionEd (Steering Committee) In 2012, CCOSA and OSSBA initiated The OKvisionEd Project and set the following goals: •

•

To build support for an educational vision that is founded on research-based initiatives that are proven to positively impact student learning.

To develop a document that educators, parents, business leaders, and policy makers will embrace as a proactive, positive educational vision.

These goals were guided by a shared set of beliefs: •

All students deserve a free, appropriate, comprehensive high-quality education with

Jim Lamer, Superintendent, OSOS - Garber Public Schools Cheryl Lane, Board Member, Frontier Public Schools Tamara Love, Graduate Student, University of Oklahoma Jim Martin, Superintendent, ORES - Robin Hill Public Schools J. Michael McClaren, Superintendent, Claremore Public Schools Jackie McComas, Board Member, Anadarko Public Schools Sean McDaniel, Superintendent, Mustang Public Schools Jarod Mendenhall, Superintendent, Broken Arrow Public Schools Marc Moore, Superintendent, Shawnee Public Schools Jerry Needham,

Superintendent, Oktaha Public Schools Jimmie Nolen, Board Member, Mid-Del Schools Sherri Pankhurst, Graduate Student, University of Oklahoma & Cordell Schools Sandra Park, former Deputy Superintendent, Oklahoma City Public Schools Alita Reynolds, Campus Director, OKACTE Central Technology Center Beth Schieber, Board Member, Okarche Public Schools Rodney Schilt, Board Member, Adair Schools Kate Shannon, Graduate Student, University of Oklahoma Roger Sharp, Board Member, Indian Capital Technology Center Kent Shellenberger, Superintendent, Bethany Public Schools

•

equality throughout the educational process.

This includes development of the whole child that provides appropriate learning experiences and allows for creativity and the arts. This also maximizes the development of each individual student, providing support for all students regardless of their needs.

All students deserve to be educated in a democratic educational system that supports them through mutual acceptance and respect and to become independent thinkers.

A strong foundation of public education is one that is established through encouraged parental and community involvement.

By taking our vision and applying our goals and beliefs, the Vision Steering Committee consisting of 15 school superintendents and board members, identified the following seven key themes, based on the work of Georgia and other states, to comprise the visioning document: 1. Climate, Culture and Organizational Efficacy.

2. Learning, Teaching, and Assessments For Student Success.

3. Early and Expanded Learning Opportunities for Student Success.

4. Governance, Leadership and Accountability.

5. Partnerships for Human and Organizational Capital Development.

6. Physical Resources.

7. Financial Resources. continued on page 18

Karen Shuey, Board Member, Moore Public Schools Jason Simeroth, Superintendent, Durant Public Schools Dr. Dan Snell, Board Member, Norman Public Schools Paula Squires, Superintendent, BooneApache Public School Jason Sternberger, Superintendent, Kingfisher Public Schools Dustin Tackett, Board Member, Caddo Kiowa Technology Center Tom Thomas, Superintendent, OKACTE - Great Plains Technology Center Robert Trammell, Superintendent, Snyder Public Schools Nicki Watkins, Graduate Student, University of Oklahoma

Brian Wigginton, Board Member, Oologah-Talala Public School Brandi Williams, Graduate Student, University of Oklahoma Dr. Greg Winters, Superintendent, OKACTE - Canadian Valley Technology Center

Professor, Educational Administration, Curriculum and Supervision Holly Mackey, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Educational Administration, Curriculum and Supervision

University of Oklahoma Faculty Reviewers: Curt Adams, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Educational Administration, Curriculum and Supervision Bill Frick, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Educational Administration, Curriculum and Supervision Rhonda Goolsby, Ph.D., Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum Jeffrey Maiden, Ph.D.,

K20 Project Advisors: Gregg Garn, Ph.D., Dean of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education and K20 Executive Director Leslie Williams, Ph.D., Director of the K20 Center.

McREL Reviewer and Facilitator Jim Eck, Ph.D. * Each member is listed with their employer/role during their participation in the OKvisionEd process.

Some members have since changed roles/employers.

5

It’s Policy

Student handbooks are in the midst of being revised for the 2014-2015 school year. It is important to consult the school district's current policies when preparing a student handbook.

The handbook should not be created to conflict with existing policies. If policies are outdated, those should be taken back to the board of education for review and revision. It is very important to make sure that the handbook and the policy manual are consistent.

The legislative session has ended and summer is upon us. As a result, it is time for your school district to determine how the district’s policy manual will be updated with regard to those policies that may have changed due to legislation passed and signed by the Governor into law. If your district administration has not established a process for ensuring that legislative updates were included within the policy manual, it would be appropriate to consider how policies will be updated for the upcoming school year. If your school district only updated three policies with regard to legislative changes made during the 2013 legislation session, your manual is outdated and needs to be revised.

Many school districts spend significant time and financial resources into updating a policy manual, only to forget to include a system of monitoring and maintaining that policy manual for legal compliance. The Oklahoma State School 6

Julie L. Miller, OSSBA Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel

Boards Association has several policy services available for your district’s review and consideration. We have maintained the same basic fees for over 15 years in an effort to minimize costs for our school district members. The various policy services offered by the OSSBA are as follows: Policy Subscription Service: $300 per year • New or newly revised mandated and SDE required policies - in generic format, hard copy only.

• 12 generic format policies at your request. Any policies requested over 12 will be available for $50/policy.

• Monthly policy newsletter which features at least three sample policies.

• Annual policy revisions based on legislative action during subscription year (generic format in hard copy only as published in the monthly newsletter; neither CD nor e-mail will be available at this service level).

Maintenance Subscription Service: $500 per year • Revise or develop new, customized policies based on information from board minutes (within the subscription period). A district may receive 12 new or revised policies per year, or any requested.

Any policies requested over 12 will be available for $50/policy (also

• • •

•

available on CD).

New or newly updated SDE required policies – customized.

Monthly policy newsletter which features at least three sample policies.

Annual policy revisions based on legislative action during subscription year (customized; CD available at this service level).

Policies customized during the subscription year are available by e-mail.

Policy Review Service: $1,000 for analysis of existing manual • Suggested policies may be purchased at the current per policy fee of $50.

• If a current policy services subscriber, suggested policies may be provided up to 12 policies with additional policies available at the current per policy fee of $50.

We also have a customized policy service available. The cost of this service begins at $5,000 for 100 policy codes. Any policy codes in excess of 100 are billed at the rate of $10 per code for generic policies and $50 per code for customized policies. Most district manuals typically contain 100 to 150 policies.

If you have questions about policy updates or any of our policy services, please feel free to contact our office for more information. n

7

Stephanie Mather, OSSBA Director of Legal Information and Staff Attorney

When does a vacancy occur?

1. An obvious answer is that a vacancy occurs when a board member passes away, or simply does not want to serve any longer and tenders his or her resignation from the board. The board has no legal authority to refuse to accept the resignation, and must accept the resignation and declare the seat vacant. 51 O.S. § 8.

Oklahoma law also contains various provisions that require the board to declare a seat vacant upon the happening of specified events, as follows: 2. 70 O.S. § 107A provides that “[i]f during the term of office to which a person was elected, that member ceases to be a resident of

8

board member does not complete all of his or her legally required education requirements within the time required, the “district board of education shall declare the seat of the member vacant and fill the vacancy according to law. A school board member who is required to vacate a school board seat [for this reason] shall be ineligible to be reappointed or to run for reelection to that respective board seat on the school district board of education or to run for election to any other board seat on the board of education for a three-year period for threemember boards, for a four-year period for seven-member boards or for a five-year period for fivemember boards.” 70 O.S. § 5-110.

4. If a Board member is convicted, in a state or federal court of any felony or any offense involving a violation of his or her official oath, the Board must declare the seat vacant when there is a final judgment in the matter. However, if the board member pleads guilty or nolo contendere in a state or federal court for any felony or any offense involving a violation of his official oath, the seat must be declared vacant, even if the judgment is not final. 51 O.S. § 8 and AG Op. No. 0743. the board district for which the person was elected, the office shall become vacant ...”

Residency of a person is a matter of intent. Just because a board member has temporarily relocated does not necessarily mean the board member has changed his or her residency. Such relocations include staying somewhere else because of a convenience for a job assignment, or staying somewhere else because of a domestic separation until a divorce is finalized. If a board member is not staying in the district, it is important that the rest of the board inquire and ensure that residency has not changed.

3. The law now requires that if a school

5. It also goes without saying that a Board seat becomes vacant if the member is removed from office.

51 O.S. § 8. Some of the laws that provide that a board member can be removed from office include: 1) failure to cause an annual audit to be made and filed with the proper authorities withing 30 days after completion of the audit (70 O.S. § 22-111); 2) being convicted of the misdemeanor of voting for the payment of any money or transfers any property belonging to the school district known to the board member to be fraudulent, void or in pursuance of any unauthorized, unlawful or fraudulent contract or agreement made or attempted to be made for any such district (70 O.S. § 5-125); 3) willfully or

knowingly contracting, incurring, acknowledging, authorizing, allowing, or approving any indebtedness in excess of the estimate made and approved by the excise board for such purpose for the current fiscal year or in excess of the specific amount authorized for such purpose by a bond issue (70 O.S. § 5-184); 4) or violating the antinepotism laws of Oklahoma (21 O.S. § 486).

6. If a Board member abandons his or her position. Contrary to what many people believe, there is no requirement in the law that board members attend all board meetings.

There is no legal authorization to have a policy that if a board member misses a certain number of meetings, the board member can no longer serve on the board. However, if a board member simply stops coming to meetings with no explanation, the remainder of the board may conduct a hearing and determine that the seat has been abandoned and is vacant.

AG Op. February 1, 1958.

7. If a Board member is elected or appointed to another office which would violate the dual office holding laws of the State of Oklahoma.

In this regard, the vacancy in the Board of Education occurs immediately upon the acceptance of the appointment or election to the other office. The other members of the Board of Education should immediately declare the office vacant. AG Op. February 11, 1963.

It is very important to note that a school board, in each of the aforementioned situations, has a duty to make a factual determination whether an office is vacant.

However, if the member protests or disputes the situation, the board cannot legally declare vacant a member's position without affording the member an opportunity for due process. This includes, at a minimum, notice and an opportunity to be heard. AG Op. No. 01-33 and AG Op. No. 96-98. continued on page 19 9

Terri Silver, OSSBA Director of Board Development

The Conference 2014, August 22-24 at the Cox Center in Oklahoma City

Be informed

This year the annual conference will be packed with information and learning opportunities you will not want to miss. You will be informed of current best practices for learning, technology in the schools, bond issue referendums, school safety, healthy schools, and the list goes on. New and incumbent board members will have the opportunity to earn their required credits during the 2 1/2 day conference. But, the value of the conference is more than just credits - the value is learning how to make your school district the best it can be for students.

Be involved

Networking may be the biggest value at the conference. We will have more sessions featuring interaction among attendees. You can also interact and share success stories and solutions during breaks and in the fabulous exhibit hall. Ask other attendees how they are addressing issues you face in your district. Discuss with other administrators and board members how they are involved in legislative activities to promote public education. Attend the OSSBA Delegate Assembly to hear discussion and explanation of the association's legislative goals for 2015. Career technology boards can be involved in the Career Technology Forum. So many options await you!

Make a difference

General sessions will inspire you to make a difference. Jay Wilkinson will share the leadership advice his father, famous OU coach Bud Wilkinson, gave him. Dr. Ben Michaelis will encourage you to broaden your thinking about being a leader. Recognition of outstanding administrators and board members, performances by students, and thought provoking speakers will stimulate your desire to be better leaders who create better school experiences for students. Take what you learn back to your local district and make a difference. And, we plan to have a candidate debate on Sunday morning so you can make an informed decision in the upcoming November election. You can make a difference.

Sneak Preview to the Conference 2014 Housing

OSSBA is excited to team up with the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau to bring attendees of the Conference 2014 a â&#x20AC;&#x153;onestopâ&#x20AC;? shop of hotel options. Instead of going to several hotel websites or calling several hotels to find the availability, attendees/school secretaries can just go to the link provided on the OSSBA website to view the pricing and the availability of all participating hotels. Also on the Conference hotel website, a link to nearby eating places is provided. If you have not made your hotel reservations, please do so before the deadline which is usually in July or before the block is full.

See you at the Conference!

Visit www.ossba.org/hotel-information for more information.

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the conference 2014

REGISTRATION FORM

(an email confirmation will be sent)

PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE • ONE ATTENDEE PER FORM

School District Name Attendee Name (as it should be printed on the name badge)  Board Member

Plan time to visit our exciting exhibit hall for fresh ideas.

If you are interested in exhibiting, please contact Kelly Ross at (405) 528-3571

 Superintendent

 Administrator

Other__________________________________________

Attendee E-mail Contact Name E-mail address to send registration confirmation CONFERENCE REGISTRATION I plan to attend the New Board Member classes

 Yes

 No

Member price, until August 8, $200, after August 9, $300.

Registration fee includes sessions and exhibit hall for the Attendee.

$________________________

Non-member price $400, after August 8, $600. Registration fee includes sessions and exhibit hall for the Attendee.

$________________________

OPTIONAL Please include _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Sunday breakfast buffet tickets at $20.00/ea for attendee and guests. Breakfast tickets will not be available on-site. No breakfast tickets are included in the registration price.

$________________________

Total amount due

$________________________

Name badge or wristband is required for exhibit hall entry. Complimentary wristbands are available for guests.

(Circle one) 1 2 3 4 members of my family would like to tour the exhibit hall (wristband required).

METHOD OF PAYMENT All major credit cards accepted. To pay by credit card, please call Jullie Stokes at (405) 528-3571.  Check Enclosed

 Purchase Order Number_______________________________________________________________

CANCELLATIONS: MUST be received in writing by August 8 for a refund or credit - less $50 cancellation fee.

Cancellations may be faxed to (405) 609-3091. Please call Lisa at (405) 528-3571 to confirm receipt. No refunds or credits will be given after August 8.

OSSBA and CCOSA are committed to making activities accessible to persons with disabilities or special needs. If you have special needs, please call (405) 528-3571 at least 10 days prior to the conference to make arrangements.

12 hours of New School Board Member Credit, Incumbent, and/or Continuing Education credits have been applied for with the State Department of Education.

ALL REGISTRATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 4:00 P.M. FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 2014.

AFTER THIS DATE ATTENDEES MUST REGISTER ON-SITE

Register online at www.ossba.org or email to register@ossba.org or fax to OSSBA at (405) 609-3091 or mail to OSSBA • 2801 North Lincoln Blvd., Suite 125 • Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (please select only one return method) 11

I’m sure, like me, you get many emails forwarded to you by friends, and in many cases by strangers.

Sometimes they are jokes, usually not very funny ones, and sometimes they are stories. I recently received a story with a point about negotiation strategy that I am going to share with you in this article.

What resulted was chaos. The traditional forms of bargaining that were used by school districts and unions were basically adversarial in nature.

Many viewed the negotiation process as “baseball bat bargaining,” with victory going to the party with the biggest “bat,” usually the school administration and district.

When collective bargaining began for school employees in the late 1960s, and then began to spread statewide with the passage of a law governing what was then called the professional negotiation process, the atmosphere was not a positive one. For the most part, school administrators resented organized employees suggesting that they had a better way to run the day-to-day operations of the school district.

Likewise, for the most part, organized employees felt left out of the decision-making process that determined their working conditions.

This form of unproductive traditional bargaining continued throughout the 1970s, and even included a teachers’ strike against the Oklahoma City School District in 1979, where 1,567 teachers walked off the job for 12 days. Very little changed during the 1980s, with most bargaining being hostile in nature and leaving school employees and administrators and boards with a bad taste for the collective bargaining process.

Michael Barlow, Barlow Education Management Services

12

Things changed in the 1990s when our firm, along with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, introduced a collaborative form of collective bargaining formally known as “Interest-Based Bargaining,” and popularly called “Win-Win,” bargaining. The utilization of collaborative forms of bargaining grew throughout the 1990s and continues to this day.

Our firm represents scores of school districts each year, and we endeavor to utilize collaborative forms of bargaining at each continued on page 19

Every year, school board members nationwide join together in Washington, D.C., for the National School Boards Association's Federal Relations Network (FRN), now called "Advocacy Institute" or â&#x20AC;&#x153;A.I.," to learn about pending federal legislation, discuss important local issues, and network with other board members. On the last day, school board members are encouraged to meet with their state's congressmen and senators. NSBA's Advocacy Institute is open for all school board members to attend, not just state associations or association officers.

This year, the Advocacy Institute was Feb. 2-4 at the Washington Hilton. Shawn Hime and I accompanied John Tuttle, Past-President of OSSBA, current District 7 Director for OSSBA, President-Elect for NSBA and Kellyville Public Schools board member; Dr. Floyd Simon Jr., President-Elect and District 9 Director for OSSBA and Clinton Public Schools board member; Mike Mullins, OSSBA District 4 Director and Sand Springs Public Schools board member; and Ernie Currier, Enid Public Schools Board member, collectively referred to as the "Oklahoma Delegation."

L-R: Ernie Currier, Enid Public Schools Board Member; Mike Mullins, OSSBA District 4 Director and Sand Springs Public Schools board member; James Lankford, Oklahoma 5th District Congressman; Rooney Virgin, OSSBA Legislative Advocacy and Staff Attorney; John Tuttle, OSSBA Past-President, OSSBA District 7 Director, NSBA President-Elect, and Kellyville Public Schools board member; Shawn Hime, OSSBA Executive Director; Dr. Floyd Simon Jr., OSSBA President-Elect, OSSBA District 9 Director, and Clinton Public Schools board member

L-R: Shawn Hime; John Tuttle; Dr. Floyd Simon; Rooney Virgin; Frank Lucas, Oklahoma 3rd District Congressman; Mike Mullins; Ernie Currier

During the Advocacy Institute, John Tuttle, who served as NSBA Secretary-Treasurer, was selected as President-Elect of NSBA, and next year he will be selected as President of NSBA! The Advocacy Institute itself lasted two days and was packed with small sessions, break-out sessions, and general sessions with guest speakers that included Herman Boone (he was portrayed by Denzel Washington in the film Remember the Titans); Pulitzer Prize winner and award-winning journalist and author Bob Woodward, and inspirational orator Dr. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr. On the final day of the trip, the Oklahoma delegation was fortunate to meet with all five of Oklahoma's congressmen and Oklahoma's two senators, during which we discussed hot topics in Oklahoma education policy and legislation, and federal legislation, including the Local School Board Governance and Flexibility Act, H.R. 1386, which, if passed, would restore maximum flexibility to local school boards in the delivery of federal education programs. We had in-person meetings with Sen. Jim Inhofe, Rep. Frank Lucas, Rep. James Lankford, Rep. Markwayne Mullin, and Rep. Tom Cole. We were able to meet with the legislative assistants to Sen. Tom Coburn and Rep. Jim Bridenstine.

We hope more school board members from Oklahoma will be able to attend next year, February 1-3, 2015. The OSSBA staff will send out information on the Advocacy Institute this fall. n 13

Julie L. Miller, OSSBA Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel

1. What if our school district cannot meet all its financial obligations at the end of the school year? How do vendors and/or staff members get paid?

The answer to this question hinges upon whether the district has a cash flow issue or whether the district has exceeded the appropriation provided by the county excise board. If the issue is merely a cash flow problem, those who are owed money at the end of the school year can go to court to collect the money that is owed to them. A cash flow problem occurs when the district does not receive the full appropriated amount authorized by the county excise board for the school district. If the district has exceeded the appropriation, there is no legal remedy for those who are owed money at the end of the school year.

2. How does a vendor commence litigation?

In most cases, the school district’s attorney will work with the attorney for the vendor or staff member who is owed money in preparing a “friendly lawsuit.” The lawsuit is deemed friendly because the school district acknowledges the obligation is owed and that the amount owed is within the current appropriation allocation the school district

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received from the county excise board, but that the district does not have the cash to pay the obligation. If the amount owed would put the district in excess of the appropriation, the obligation cannot legally be paid by the district and no judgment would be entered against the school district.

3. If the vendor takes the district to court, how is the judgment paid out?

Any judgment issued by the court is paid out of the school district’s sinking fund over a three-year period. The vendor would receive one-third of the payment in each of the successive three school years. If the district’s sinking fund does not contain enough money for the one-third payment, property taxes will be increased to obtain the revenue needed to pay one-third of the judgment for the ensuing three years. The vendor could “sell” the judgment to a local bank or other investor who would purchase the judgment in order to receive the “interest” that will accumulate on the judgment.

Any school district expected to “run out” of revenue should contact their local school district attorney as soon as possible. If the continued on page 19

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OPSUCA Dollar$ & Sen$e

Following the start of each summer, your OPSUCA team gets incredibly busy with summer unemployment claims. We have heard rumors from some schools that a reduction in force is underway, while others might plan to not replace vacated positions.

The Skinny on Reasonable Assurance Basic idea: Public schools will be relieved in paying unemployment to school employees who have been provided “reasonable assurance” (RA) to return in the upcoming school term (i.e. next school year) in the same work capacity as before.

If such assurance has been issued, public school is obligated to put that school employee to work again in the same capacity in the next school term. If not, then retroactive benefits may be awarded in some cases.

Oklahoma's Reasonable Assurance Law Interpretations Before Summer 2013: A summer claim that was denied for reasonable assurance meant the school was completely relieved from paying that claim.

Other non-school employers would pay if there were eligible wages.

During Summer 2013: The OESC began disallowing benefits for reasonable assurance then sending a second determination allowing benefits but "removing school wages" until school 16

resumed. What this meant was your school didn't pay during the summer months, but wages would be put back on in August. If the claimant was still eligible, your school district would start paying unemployment in August.

How much could this cost us?

It's so important to use reasonable assurance as a mechanism to avoid unnecessary and costly unemployment payments. For 2014, a person who files for unemployment can receive up to $440 per week. So, consider that your school could pay up to $440 per week per employee, and this would compound for each week you don’t notify the employee of re-employment or reasonable assurance of re-employment. And, if there is more than one employee in that same situation, then the same would apply to her or him. In 2014, a single claimant could receive up to $5,720 in the span of just three months.

Before Summer Break It is imperative that administration prepares and timely distributes reasonable assurance letters for all of your substitutes, other temporary workers, cafeteria or child nutrition services workers, bus drivers, teacher's aides, temporary teachers intended to be rehired, and anyone else you anticipate might file for unemployment. These letters can be mailed, emailed, passed out at

Jessica Sherrill, Director of OPSUCA (Unemployment) and OSSBA Staff Attorney

meetings, or attached to paystubs. The main thing is to keep a list of who received one and how.

What to include in your letter: • School letterhead if printed/ school email address if emailed • Date of letter (important!)

• Date summer begins or last day of work before summer • Date the employee is to return • Salutation/signature of authorized school person • When & to whom to return letter, if applicable

•

•

During Summer Break

form) for an employee who has reasonable assurance, please let OPSUCA know by faxing it to us at 405-609-3050 so we can inform the OESC to remove school wages.

That way, your school district won't pay during the summer. For most schools, you receive that and we don't.

If you receive a request for sick leave indicating an employee is going to be or was hired by another school district, let us know!

That is a crossover reasonable assurance.

If someone files for retirement during the summer and has filed a claim for unemployment, let us know!

After Summer Break

When a claim is filed, it's important to provide us your reasonable assurance letter or the template and the list with this person's name on it. You can send this to us in advance.

OPSUCA will have kept a list of reasonable assurance claimants and will notify your school administration in early August so you know who filed and who needs to be brought back.

If there are individuals you did not send a letter to out of uncertainty and the school board votes to rehire them, please immediately send a letter indicating their reasonable assurance. If they have already filed, providing this letter (and notifying us of such) will stop the claim payments.

•

Keep in Touch with OPSUCA: • If you receive an OES-866 form (wage

•

If a claimant had RA, filed, and school wages were removed, then s/he will need to return as expected.

If this is a substitute, you'll need to call them for work right away. We are unclear whether the expectation is the first day or first week.

Please get those reasonable assurance-related substitutes back to work at least within the first week. n 17

OKVisionEd continued from page 5 Taking Action The OKvisionEd Project has been established to add the voices of educational leaders to the deliberations on public education in our state. Our hope is that this report will provide opportunities for public engagement about the future path of education in our state and re-energize our commitment to the increasing number of students who attend public schools in Oklahoma.

Over the past several decades, many educational reform efforts have focused on increasing student performance measures. High school graduation tests; third-grade reading requirements; teacher and leader evaluations based on student performance; school report cards; and new state standards and assessments have placed increased pressure on school leaders, educators, and students. These reforms increase the demands on schools, yet do not provide strategies nor allow flexibility and support mechanisms to meet the demands. To change the conversation about public education, we must first change our dialogue. School leaders and school board members have a unique perspective to bring to the deliberation on public education.

We must act now: • • • •

To ensure the voice of local public school leadership drives public school policy, To rebuild trust and support for public education, To promote meaningful engagement of community stakeholders with their public schools, and To communicate a clear and effective vision for the future of public schools in our state.

Our challenge is not whether changes in public education are needed in the new millennium,

but rather which changes will result in transforming education and sustaining our democratic way of life. We agree with Fullan and Hargreaves (2009) that educational change can be achieved by people working together towards shared and compelling moral purposes established through public engagement and with personal and public investments.

Oklahoma’s public school enrollment has steadily increased over the past six years.

Although public education receives a large share of the state budget, the monetary support for education has been declining in terms of percentage of the state budget and in terms of dollars. In fact, our state has made the largest cuts in the nation in per pupil funding, slashing 22.7% since the beginning of the recession.

The accountability system is focused narrowly on student performance on multiple-choice tests and not well understood. State and federal mandates are overwhelming local school leaders. Communities are changing, as are many aspects of the world in which we live and work. This vision project is designed to foster productive public dialogue about how to improve our schools for the more than 680,000 students enrolled.

We need to reimagine systems and policies that support learning for all students, rather than retrofit innovations into the current system.

References Fullan, M. & Hargreaves, A., Ed. (2009). Change wars. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

Gutmann, A. (1999). Democratic Education.

Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Howe, K. & Meens, D. (October, 2012).

Democracy left behind: How recent education reforms undermine local school governance and democratic education. Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center. Retrieved from http://greatlakescenter.org/docs/Policy_ Briefs/Howe_LocalControl.pdf n

We want to thank our past OSSBA executive director and proud supporter of Oklahoma public education, Dr. Jeff Mills. Dr. Mills lost his battle with cancer during the work of this project in September 2013. This document would not have been possible without his courageous leadership, support, and vision. We gratefully acknowledge his passion and desire to provide the best education possible for all Oklahoma students. Thank you, Dr. Jeff Mills.

18

Financial Questions continued from page 14 district exceeds the appropriation, individual board members could be personally liable for up to two times the amount of any expenditure approved in excess of the appropriated amount. In addition, the superintendent could lose his/her certificate. If the district has not exceeded the appropriated amount, legal counsel will be able to assist the district in the preparation of the defense of any lawsuit filed which would be assessed against the sinking fund. n

How Many Horses? continued from page 12 negotiation table. The degree of success usually depends upon the trust and sincerity of the parties involved. If the parties want a good relationship and good collective bargaining agreement, it can be achieved with ease and a minimum of stress.

The following story, which I received as an unsolicited email, describes how the size of the pie can be enlarged without actually changing the facts on the ground.

How Many Horses Do You Have?

A farmer died leaving his 17 horses to his three sons.

When his sons opened up the Will, it read: My eldest son should get 1/2 (half) of the total horses; My middle son should be given 1/3rd (one-third) of the total horses; My youngest son should be given 1/9th (one-ninth) of the total horses.

As it is impossible to divide 17 into half or by 3 or by 9, the three sons started to fight with each other.

So they decided to go to a farmer friend, whom they considered quite smart, to see if he could work it out for them.

The farmer friend read the Will patiently, and after giving it due thought, he brought one of his own horses over and added it to the 17. That increased the total to 18 horses.

Now, he divided the horses according to their father’s Will.

Half of 18 = 9. So he gave the eldest son 9 horses.

1/3rd of 18 = 6. So he gave the middle son 6 horses.

1/9th of 18 = 2. So he gave the youngest son 2 horses.

Now add up how many horses they have: Eldest son……..9 Middle son…….6 Youngest son…2 TOTAL IS…….17.

Now this leaves one horse over, so the farmer friend takes his horse back to his farm.

Problem Solved!

Moral: The attitude of negotiation and problem-solving is to find the 18th horse, i.e. the common ground. Once a person is able to find the 18th horse, the issue is resolved. It is difficult at times. However, to reach a solution, the first step is to believe that there is a solution. If we think that there are no solutions, we won’t be able to reach any! n

Vacancies continued from page 9 How is a Vacancy Filled?

1. Appointment: Pursuant to 26 O.S. § 13A110, vacancies for members of the board of education of every school district or technology center school district shall be filled by appointment by the rest of the board within sixty (60) days of the vacancy.

Persons appointed to fill vacancies in the first half of the term of office for the board position serve only until the next succeeding election. At that time the office shall be placed on the ballot for the balance of the unexpired term.

Vacancies filled by appointment following the delivery of the resolution calling for regular elections to the secretary of the county election board shall be filled until the regular elections the following year.

Persons appointed to fill vacancies after the first half of the term of office for the board position serve for the balance of the unexpired term.

No person shall be appointed to a board of education who does not meet the eligibility qualifications needed to be a candidate for the Board position.

2. Election: 26 O.S. § 13A-110 goes on to provide that if the board of education does not fill the vacancy by appointment within sixty (60) days of the date the board declared the seat vacant or the date the vacancy occurred by law, the board of education must call a special election to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.

Then, the special election must be scheduled not fewer that sixty (60) days from the date the election is called. 26 O.S. § 12-116.

3. Appointment by the Governor: On some rare occasions, there are situations where vacancies occur on a Board of Education that create a lack of a quorum. If there is not a quorum, then the remaining Board members cannot take action to appoint or call for an election. In this circumstance, the Governor of the State is authorized to appoint school board members under Okla. Const. Article 6, Section 13. Typically, the Governor will appoint just enough to provide a quorum, and then the board can appoint or call an election to fill any remaining vacancies. n 19

Visioning continued from page 1

678,000 Reasons continued from page 2

To be fair, no teacher has saved every child who crossed his or her path. But certainly, the vast majority of students receive the education they need to become productive citizens, obtain good employment and raise a family. The reformer rhetoric is decidedly lacking in focus on children as individuals and what is best for their education. I don’t blame the corporate and political activists that have stepped up to lead this discussion. I believe the blame is firmly on the shoulders of the leadership of public education.

Educators at all levels and school board members must lead with a solutions-based approach to improving our schools systemically and individually. The current rhetoric and mistrust from both sides has successfully polarized adults while falling far short of improving the quality of education for our students.

Possible solutions discussed included support of HB 2642 authored by Rep. Denney and Sen. James Halligan, an unsuccessful proposal that would have put millions of dollars directly in to the school funding formula over the next decade.

Another solution offered but not accepted was to allow the horizontal and deep well drilling tax credits to expire. Doing so would have provided more than $300 million in additional state revenue. (Source: OK Policy Institute, March 2014).

For far too long, Oklahoma educational leaders have been reactionary to this commentary and attack on public schools. Board members, administrators and teachers must step up and lead the discussion about improving the educational opportunities for Oklahoma’s children.

We need to shout the success stories for the world to hear. We also must confront our shortcomings and work together to help schools implement transformational practices that will benefit all children. Together, those realities led OSSBA and CCOSA to launch the Oklahoma Visioning Project. Oklahoma needs to refocus and pave a new path for public education based on what leaders in the field know to be best practice for educating our children. More than 70 board members and superintendents spent 18 months working together to develop a visioning document as a template for ensuring the future of Oklahoma education is based on transformational practices that help students maximize their potential as citizens of our great state.

More information on this project and how our members can get involved will be available at the conference in August.

Educators in the field have not let the rhetoric get in the way of providing excellent education opportunities for children. But it’s time for all of those who believe in public education to stop waiting for someone else’s next great idea for reform. It’s time to lead the way. n 20

Also, there was a plea to resume collection of the franchise tax this year which could result in an estimated $60 million in additional revenue.

Many legislators and Governor Fallin announced plans to cut the income tax this legislative session, which did happen; the outcome will inevitably be additional cuts to education funding. Research finds that dollar for dollar, spending on education creates almost twice as many jobs as would be expected from tax cuts of equal value and also results in better paying jobs.

(Source: OK Policy Institute, March 2014).

Finally, rally participants were given "accountability push cards" for their legislators with the following questions: 1. Will you vote YES on HB 2642 and do all you can to get the bill to Governor Fallin’s desk? Yes or No 2. Will you only support a state budget that increases per pupil funding through the state’s funding formula? Yes or No 3. Will you oppose plans to reduce the state’s income tax? Yes or No 4. Will you vote to increase the tax rate for horizontal and deep well drilling from 1% to a more equitable rate? Yes or No The Oklahoma Education Coalition (OEC) organized the rally at the request of many educators, community and business leaders and parents. Members of the OEC organizing the rally are: Oklahoma Education Association, Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration, Oklahoma State School Boards Association, Organization of Rural Oklahoma Schools, United Suburban Schools Association, Tulsa Public Schools, Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association, Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education, and Oklahoma Parent Teacher Association. n

OSSBA Day at the Capitol

T

he OSSBA annual Day at the Capitol was held on Wednesday, April 16, and was attended by over 100 school board members from across the state. The day began with a light breakfast and welcome by Executive Director Shawn Hime just outside the House of Representatives Chamber.

School board members were tasked with speaking to their Representative and Senator about legislation that was important to education - either for or against. They were given talking points and push cards to leave with Legislators that listed six bills that were of great concern to school board members.

The morning was followed by a lunch at the Credit Union House in which nine legislators attended, including Speaker Jeff Hickman, Rep. Lee Denney, Rep. Dennis Casey, Senator Eddie Fields, Sen. Gary Stanislawski, Rep. Ed Cannaday, Rep. Curtis McDaniel, Rep. Ann Coody, and Rep. Jason Nelson. After the luncheon, members were encouraged to return to the Capitol and continue to stand up and fight for public education.

The OSSBA talking points were:

State-Wide Expansion of Charter Schools

SB 573 by Senator Clark Jolley (R-Edmond) and Rep. Lee Denney (R-Cushing) creates a statewide Public Charter School Commission and grants the Commission authority to authorize and oversee the establishment of charter schools in any school district in the state. This bill circumvents the authority of the locally elected board from exercising local control of the education of the children in your community. This bill is eligible for a House floor vote as once it is placed on the agenda. Please vote NO on SB 573!

Vouchers - Expansion of the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship to 3 year olds

Reduction of Non-Federally Mandated Tests

SB 1654 by Senator John Ford (R-Bartlesville) and Rep. Dennis Casey (R-Morrison) passed the House Common Education Committee on April 8 and is soon eligible for a vote on the House Floor. This bill is a first step towards alleviating the burden of over-testing on teachers and school districts. This bill eliminates non-federally mandated CRT’s for grades 3-8, which includes fine arts, English writing and social studies. This bill puts the local district and teachers back in control of their classrooms - able to teach to the subject matter and not just teaching to pass the test. Please Vote YES on SB 1654!

Funding

HB 2642 by Rep. Lee Denney (R-Cushing) and Senator Jim Halligan (R-Stillwater) creates the “Securing Educational Excellence Fund,” which would guarantee automatic annual funding increases to schools through the state aid formula.

This bill is the best chance for a long-term solution to the grave financial problems faced by most of Oklahoma’s public schools. This bill will put new “off the top” dollars directly into the funding formula and directly into classrooms! Please vote YES on HB 2642!

Reading Sufficiency Act

HB 2625 by Rep. Katie Henke (R-Tulsa) and Senator Gary Stanislawski (R-Jenks) relating to the RSA, states that if the reading deficiency of a student is not remedied by the end of third grade, then a team composed of a parent or guardian of the student, a teacher, school principal and certified reading specialist determines whether or not to retain the student or promote the student to the fourth grade. The bill also allows students to demonstrate reading proficiency on an approved screening instrument. This bill may soon be eligible for a vote on the Senate floor. Please vote YES on HB 2625!

Printed on 4/15/2014. Please check www.oklegislature.gov to look up current status of bills and to find legislator information

HB 2414 by Rep. Jason Nelson (R-OKC) and Senator Greg Treat (R-OKC) is eligible for a vote on the Senate Floor. This bill expands the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship program, a voucher program, to 3 year olds in Sooner Start with an IEP. This would give a child a 15 year publicly funded voucher to the private school of their choice. Under current law, a student is eligible for the scholarship only after they have been enrolled in public school; if HB 2414 passes, a student can receive a voucher who has never attended public school. Please vote NO on HB 2414!

Special Elections/ Bonds

SB 1816 by Senator Brian Crain (R-Tulsa) and Rep. Aaron Stiles (R-Norman) modifies the dates for special elections required to fill a vacancy in any county, municipal, school district or technology board or education, thus leaving open the possibility of having a vacant board seat for long periods of time. The bill also limits the times when special elections may be held, such as a local school bond. The bill interferes with local control and greatly reduces the dates that locally elected school boards may use to call a special election for local issues, such as school bond issues. Title is on the bill, and it is eligible for a vote on the House Floor. Please vote NO on SB 1816!

Legislator: __________________________________________ From: ______________________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________________ Email: ______________________________________________ Printed on 4/15/2014. Please check www.oklegislature.gov to look up current status of bills and to find legislator information

21

Order Form

Board Member Resource Materials If you would like to order the Board Member Resource Materials, please complete the form below. Material packets sell for $75.00 each for OSSBA members; $150 each for non-members. Postage will be added if two or more packets are mailed. Packets will be mailed to the office of the school district superintendent unless other procedures are requested. School funds may be used to purchase these packets.

Name _______________________________________________________________________________________________ School ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Address of School _____________________________________________________________________________________ City ____________________________________________________ State _________________ Zip _____________________ County__________________________________________________ School Phone __________________________________ Number of Board Member Resource Packets ordered _________________________________________________________ To order individual materials, see below: Publications sell for $15.00 each for OSSBA Members and $30.00 for non-members (postage will be charged for two or more books).

NOTE: These publications are all included in the Board Member Resource Materials.

Quantity

Publication

________ The School Board Member Handbook

________ Opening (Slightly) the Door to the Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Accounting System

________ Employee Interviews: Avoiding Legal Challenges During the Pre-Employment Process

________ The Oklahoma School Board Meeting Guidebook

________ Sample Forms and Contracts for Oklahoma Public School Districts

The NSBA/OSSBA publication, Key Works of School Boards Guidebook, is also available for a cost of $25.00 for members and $50.00 for non-members. This publication is not included in the Board Member Resource Materials.

Total Payment Due: _________________________________ Purchase Order Number (if applicable) __________________ For more information, call (405) 528-3571 or (888) 528-3571

FAX this form to: Mail to: OSSBA OSSBA

Attn: David Crane Attn: David Crane

(405) 528-5695 OR 2801 North Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 125 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Oklahoma State School Boards Association

22

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Unemployment costs have taken a big chunk out of school budgets over the past few years. Luckily, over 350 Oklahoma public school districts, career technology centers, and interlocals - of all sizes - metropolitan and rural - have softened the blow with the help of OPSUCA and their knowledgeable staff.

OPSUCA is the only Oklahoma-based unemployment representation organization with attorneys on staff who represent you with a school law mentality in an unemployment law framework. Further, as a non-profit, our proceeds go back into services for Oklahoma's public schools.

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