Betsy DeVos: No plans to take action on funding to arm teachers
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos says she has “no intention of taking any action” regarding any possible use of federal funds to arm teachers or provide them with firearms training. DeVos’ comments came Friday after a top official in her department, asked about arming teachers, said states and local jurisdictions always “had the flexibility” to decide how to use federal education funds. Frank Brogan, assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education, said arming educators “is a good example of a profoundly personal decision on the part of a school or a school district or even a state.” President Donald Trump and DeVos have said schools may benefit from having armed teachers and should have that option. DeVos said Friday that “Congress did not authorize me or the Department to make those decisions” about arming teachers or training them on the use of firearms. Her comments were in a letter to Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the House committee overseeing education, and were posted by the department on Twitter. “I will not take any action that would expand or restrict the responsibilities and flexibilities granted to state and local education agencies by Congress,” DeVos wrote. Democrats and education groups have argued, however, that the funds are intended for academics, not guns. DeVos heads a federal commission on school safety that was formed after the deadly Valentine’s Day shooting at a Florida high school. An early draft of the commission’s report recommends that states and communities determine “based on the unique circumstances of each school” whether to arm its security personnel and teachers to be able to respond to violence. The draft’s section on training school personnel was reviewed by AP. That approach, the draft says, “can be particularly helpful” in rural districts where the nearest police unit may be far away. Other recommendations included employing school resource officers and ensuring they worked closely with the rest of the school staff. In an interview with The Associated Press Thursday, Brogan cited the “school marshal” program in Texas where school employees can volunteer to carry weapons on campuses after undergoing training. Educators from some remote rural schools also told the panel that they rely on armed school personnel because the police may take too long to arrive. Others, however, argued that arming teachers is dangerous and could make schools feel like prisons. Brogan said the Every Student Succeeds Act, a bipartisan law that shifts education authority to states, provides about $1 billion in annual funding for various school needs, including 20 percent specifically set aside for school safety. “The people at the local level who’ve been there for years could make the decisions about what services to purchase, what equipment to buy to fulfill the general broad obligations laid out in that law,” he said. It would be up to Congress, not the U.S. Department of Education, to place any restrictions or barriers to use those funds for purposes not currently in the law, a department spokeswoman said. The debate arose earlier this month after a small rural school district in Oklahoma and the state of Texas asked the department to clarify what the funds can be used for. “The position is: You have the language … the language was written specifically to and always interpreted to mean ‘this is your money,’” Brogan said. Democratic lawmakers and teachers blasted the idea, accusing the Trump administration of acting in the interests of the National Rifle Association, and several congressmen called for legislation that would prohibit the use of those funds for guns. Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate commission overseeing education, said on Twitter that she was “extremely disappointed that (DeVos) is moving forward with this awful plan to allow federal funds to be used to arm teachers.” “I hope she reconsiders and we need to keep pressure on her until she does,” Murray added. Brogan also clarified that the commission will tackle gun control as instructed by the White House. DeVos had told a Senate hearing in June that the panel will not look at guns “per se,” causing confusion. Brogan said the commission will consider age restrictions for gun purchases, as well as whether people with mental health problems who are likely to harm themselves and others can possess weapons. Brogan said the panel will produce a tool kit “that provides recognized best practices, not just the shiny new object on school safety, but what people are already doing that seems to be showing a track record of success that can be put out there in inventory fashion.” “You cannot do that with a uniform approach to this thing because the country is so very different, place to place, school to school, state to state,” Brogan said. “There is no one way to make schools safe.” Besides recommendations on arming and training school staff, the research and best practices identified by the panel will include suggestions on equipping schools with magnetometers and other safety tools, character development programs and the impact of video games and movies on violent behavior. The report will be issued in “very late fall or by the end of the year,” Brogan said. The commission was created by President Donald Trump in March after 17 people were killed in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The panel is chaired by DeVos and also consists of the heads of the departments of Justice, Health and Human Services and Homeland Security. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
State Dept. of Education seeks testing waivers to aid students with cognitive disabilities
The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) will be seeking waivers from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education to allow students with cognitive disabilities to take the Alabama Alternate Assessment (AAA). The test — a performance task assessment administered as an alternate to the general education state assessment. It is administered to students with significant cognitive disabilities working on the Alabama Extended Standards, and is a paper-based multiple choice assessment administered in the areas of reading and mathematics in Grades 3-8 and 10 and science in Grades 5,7, and 10 — is part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), signed into law in 2015 by then President Barack Obama. The program was intended to replace the No Child Left Behind Act; and ensures that students in the U.S. with a significant cognitive disability, are not excluded from learning beside their peers. Former-Gov. Robert Bentley then created an implementation task force in 2016 to assure the law’s success. The ESSA, “shifts the power of education from the federal government and returns power and control to the states.” Under ESSA, states are able to decide for themselves what is best for their students in regard to the “implementation of academic standards, testing, accountability, school improvement and teacher quality,” but also requires states to ensure that the number of students assessed using an alternate assessment does not exceed one percent of the students in the state who are assessed using Alabama statewide assessments. State is seeking a waiver as the ESSA places a 1 percent cap on the participation rate for each subject on the AAA. If a state anticipates it will exceed the 1 percent cap, it must seek a waiver. During the 2016-2017 school year, Alabama’s participation rate on the AAA was: 1.21 percent for reading, 1.21 percent for math, and 1.23 percent for science. Since Alabama exceeded the 1 percent cap for the 2016-2017 school year, it is anticipating exceeding the 1 percent cap for 2017-2018 school year. Thus, the ALSDE will be requesting a waiver for reading, math, and science from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. The ALSDE is seeking public comment as part of this process. According to the ALDSE: You may send written comments on the request for a waiver to: Student Assessment, Alabama State Department of Education, P.O. Box 302101, Montgomery, AL 36130-2101. Mrs. Nannette Pence or Mrs. Maggie Hicks may be reached by phone at 334-242-8038, by fax at 334-242-7341, or through email at studentassessment@alsde.edu. Written comments will be accepted until June 15, 2018.
Betsy DeVos calls Kay Ivey, tells her US Dept. of Education approved Alabama ESSA plan
Governor Kay Ivey on Monday announced that Alabama’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) state plan was approved by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Ivey received a phone call Monday morning from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos informing her of the decision. The Alabama ESSA state plan was submitted to the ED in October by the Alabama State Board of Education. The framework for the ESSA plan is provided by the ED; however, the indicators found in ESSA are specific to Alabama and many come directly from Alabama Ascending, the strategic plan for the future of education in Alabama. “I had a great conversation with Secretary DeVos about education in Alabama and was glad to receive her call regarding our state ESSA plan. A great deal of thanks must be given to interim State Superintendent Dr. Ed Richardson and Dr. Joe Morton who both worked deliberately and with diligence to help us craft a plan that would meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Education but also do what is best for Alabama students,” Ivey said. “This plan will help guide Alabama to a better education start for all students and give them the foundation they need to be successful in their future careers.” Focus of the plan The state ESSA plan focuses on: the needs of students and teachers around the state including adding National Board Certified math and science teachers in hard to staff areas; and improving the Alabama Reading Initiative and increasing the overall number of highly qualified teachers. In the FY19 budget, Ivey requested a substantial increase to help hire National Board Certified Teachers in math and science into hard to staff areas, $4 million to improve the Alabama Reading Initiative, and $725,000 in scholarships for students training to teach math and science. Each of those requests were enacted for the upcoming fiscal year. ESSA timeline The state began work on its state ESSA plan in January 2016 and the draft plan was first released for public comment in July 2017. The finalized plan was submitted to the ED in October 2017. In December 2017, the ED sent a letter asking for more details on how Alabama planned to implement certain provisions of ESSA. The updated plan with input from many stakeholder organizations was submitted on February 13, 2018.
Alabama schools get their own report cards
Thursday, the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) released the Alabama State Report card. This is the first time a report of this caliber has been made available to Alabamians. Each school is given a letter-grade based on the results of several academic measures determined by local school leaders, local superintendents and ALSDE. The report draws attention to what schools are doing correctly, and which areas need more improvement. Letter grades are determined by several factors including; state test scores, graduation rates, absenteeism, and college or career-readiness. High schools without a 12th grade used adjusted formulas to account for the lack of graduation rates. “Although a lot of attention has been given to what grade schools are receiving, when reviewed holistically, the Alabama State Report Card shares a great deal of detail about what our schools are doing well and where they can improve,” said Caroline Novak, president of A+ Education Partnership. “Every school in Alabama is faced with different challenges and each has different strengths and weaknesses. The release of the Alabama State Report Card is an opportunity to learn more about the programs, initiatives and other areas where school leaders want to invest and how they can collectively improve student achievement. By looking at the measurements highlighted in the Alabama State Report Card overtime, communities can work together to ensure all students are on track for success in school and after they graduate.” Novak wants parents and educators to use the letter grades as a conversation starter on how to enhance learning environments for students across Alabama. The report card was developed to satisfy Alabama Act 2012-402 and the Federal Every Student Succeeds Act passed in 2015.
Mary Scott Hunter to Betsy DeVos: Keep your promises to the states
Despite being one of President Donald Trump‘s most controversial nominees, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos had the “qualified” support of Alabama State Board of Education member Mary Scott Hunter from the jump. Now Hunter is putting her support of DeVos to the test. On Friday, she sent a letter to DeVos asking for standardized testing flexibility as the state seeks to drop the ACT Aspire test for its students in favor of alternative tests. Earlier this year, the DeVos called for states and local school districts to have greater say in education standards and issues, citing the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as the way to allow more local control. However, when Sentenace followed the ESSA approval process and submitted the state’s education plans to the federal government, the U.S. Department of Education rejected it. But Hunter is not taking “no” for an answer. Earlier this month, Alabama Superintendent of Education Michael Sentance requested flexibility from using ACT Aspire testing while we develop an Alabama test that is right for us. Over the last several years we have worked hard to implement rigorous standards that will best prepare our children and youths for living and working in the 21st century. We have shaped these standards with Alabama’s values in mind while keeping our eyes on what today’s students will need to thrive in the decades to come. At this point our best option is to receive a waiver for next year’s standardized test,” the letter continued. “This would allow us time to develop a test that aligns to our Alabama standards, is rigorous, and properly informs instruction. Alternately, we could use existing formative assessments to determine student growth. If your Department does not grant the waiver there is a strong likelihood we will administer three different summative tests in three years, Aspire this past year, a different test next year, and yet another test the year after next. Obviously this is very undesirable for both our students and teachers. Standardized testing is extraordinarily difficult. Getting it right has implications for Alabama for decades to come. We need time to do that. At the time of publishing, the U.S. Department of Education has yet to grant a waiver to Alabama. Read Hunter’s full letter below:
Martha Roby: Changing behavior requires oversight
Oftentimes, truly changing public policy for the better requires not only improving the law but also careful oversight in order to ensure proper implementation of that law. You may remember that late last year we scored a significant legislative victory by getting the strong “state authority” provisions I championed for almost three years included in the long-overdue replacement to the “No Child Left Behind” education law. That law and the behavior it allowed has served to frustrate school administrators, hamstring teachers, and erode parents’ trust in public schools. As Congress worked to overhaul the law through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), one of my top priorities has been to return decision-making in education back to states and local communities where it belongs. The provisions I advocated for strictly prohibit the U.S. Department of Education from using funding grants or special rule waivers to coerce states into adopting its preferred policies. In fact, the Wall Street Journal called the nation’s new education law “the largest devolution of federal control to the states in a quarter century.” With ESSA now the law of the land, my focus has turned toward making sure officials are adhering to the new law. At an Appropriations Committee hearing in March, I questioned U.S. Secretary of Education John King about his commitment to making sure the U.S. Department of Education adheres to the “state authority” provisions. While Secretary King committed to me that he would implement and enforce ESSA as written, I assured him I would be watching to make sure that happened. This past week I met with local school superintendents from throughout Alabama who gave me more reason to be concerned about ESSA implementation living up to the intent of Congress. That’s why I reached out to each member of the Alabama ESSA Implementation Committee in a letter asking for feedback on whether or not federal authorities are following Congress’ clear direction. “As someone who has been involved in crafting this law,” I wrote, “I am here to answer any questions you might have regarding the clear intent Congress had toward ensuring flexibility at the state and local level. I also ask that you please keep me apprised of any attempt on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education to disregard the intent of this new law and continue its coercive practices. “Should federal partners you work with in the implementation process fail to adhere to this clear directive from Congress, I want to know about it.” I have already heard back from several members of the committee and I look forward to working with them in our shared goal of ensuring the return of education decisions back to the states. Their feedback will help me hold the U.S. Secretary of Education and his staff accountable for the proper implementation of the nation’s new education law. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband, Riley and their two children.
Robert Bentley creates implementation committee for Every Student Succeeds Act
Last week, Governor Robert Bentley announced the establishment of a state implementation committee for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which was signed into law last year by President Barack Obama to replace the No Child Left Behind Act. According to a press release from the governor’s office, the new law “shifts the power of education from the federal government and returns power and control to the states.” Under ESSA, states will be able to decide for themselves what it best for their students in regard to the “implementation of academic standards, testing, accountability, school improvement and teacher quality.” As part of the law, each state is required to develop a comprehensive plan for implementing the new legislation. “Every state, school and classroom needs the certainty and fairness of a flexible education law,” Governor Bentley said in the statement. “I support the Every Student Succeeds Act because it provides governors a central role in implementation and governance and gives us the flexibility to shape our schools and prepare our students from early childhood into the workforce. This legislation is the greatest devolution of federal powers to the state in 25 years. I challenge Alabama’s implementation committee to create a plan that will continue to move Alabama’s education system forward while keeping in mind the needs of the students being taught.” The Alabama ESSA Committee will consist of the following members or a designated representative: Two vice chairs, appointed by the Superintendent, Alabama State Department of Education Two appointments by each Alabama State Board of Education member, excluding the Governor The Secretary, Department of Early Childhood Education The Education Policy Advisor, Office of the Governor Director, Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs Three representatives in workforce development programs or related entities, appointed by the Governor A representative of the Alabama Public Charter School Commission, appointed by the Governor One member from the Alabama Senate, appointed by the Senate President Pro Tem One member from the Alabama House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Additional members as needed, appointed by the Governor The committee will have to submit a plan for the full implementation of ESSA no later than December 1, 2016.
Alabama education advocates applaud passage of Every Student Succeeds Act
Wednesday, the U.S. Senate approved the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), 85 to 12. Designed to update America’s public school system, the bill has now been sent to President Barack Obama for a signature. Education advocates say the new legislation, which replaces No Child Left Behind, gives states more control. Alabama GRIT – a statewide coalition of parents, teachers, military personnel, business leaders and civic organizations that advocates for high expectations in Alabama schools – agrees and supported the law’s passage. “For years, the democratically-elected Alabama State Board of Education’s efforts to raise academic expectations in our schools have been hampered by misconceptions about the federal government’s role in Alabama’s adoption of our College and Career Ready Standards, which were based on the Common Core State Standards,” said Caroline Novak, chair of Alabama GRIT and president of A+ Education Partnership. “This bill should put to rest any concerns Alabamians hold about who determines what is learned in Alabama’s classrooms,” Novak continued. “We hope that statewide conversations moving forward will now focus on what we can do together to provide students and teachers what they need to be successful.” Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the same bill by a vote of 359 to 64. Among other provisions, this legislation restores control of education to state and local school boards by: Prohibiting any federal government entity from coercing or incentivizing states into adopting standards such as Common Core or specific assessments; Ending the U.S. Secretary of Education’s ability to influence state education policies through executive fiat and conditional waivers; Prohibiting the U.S. Department of Education from imposing any additional mandates on states and school districts in the areas of standards, assessments and state accountability plans, beyond what is specified in the legislation; and, Codifying that adoption of standards and assessments are solely the prerogative and responsibility of the states and not the federal government. “As we move forward, we are hopeful that we can now focus on what is taking place inside Alabama’s classroom instead of politics and misperceptions,” said Jessica Hammonds, executive director of Alabama GRIT. “By reducing the role of the federal government in education in Alabama, our state and local boards of education can create clearer paths to help every child in Alabama reach his or her full potential in life, whether they continue on to college or directly enter the workforce after high school.” The Alabama delegation, in both chambers, were split on the vote. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Rep. Bradley Byrne (AL-01), Rep. Martha Roby (AL-02), Rep. Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) all voted in support of ESSA. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03), Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-05), Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06) all voted against it.
Martha Roby: Patience pays off in defending state authority over education
Progress takes patience sometimes, I suppose. Two-and-a-half years ago, I introduced the “Defending State Authority Over Education Act” to stop once and for all the inappropriate federal coercion of states into adopting the Obama Administration’s “pet” policies, standards or curricula, including Common Core. I strongly support local control of education, and I said then my true goal was to build support for getting my “State Authority” language included in the overall rewrite of the badly-flawed “No Child Left Behind” law, which Congress has been working on for years. Initially we had success in the House, but the Democratic Senate wouldn’t touch it. With a change in Senate leadership after the last election, this year looked much more promising. We kept pushing and, this week, I’m pleased to confirm the good news: at long last, the final bill replacing “No Child Left Behind” does include our “State Authority” language strictly prohibiting the federal Department of Education from using funding grants, rule waivers or other means to coerce states or local boards in education decisions. This is a big win for parents, teachers, administrators and anyone who has been frustrated by the federal intrusion in education policy. The “Every Student Succeeds Act” replaces the nation’s current law with policies that reflect a more conservative, state-driven approach to education. The bill: Places new, unprecedented restrictions on the U.S. Secretary of Education, including my “State Authority” language prohibiting the Secretary and his agents from using money and rule waivers to coerce policy decisions; Eliminates the “Adequate Yearly Progress,” or “AYP” metric and return the responsibility for proficiency systems to the states where they belong; Eliminates or consolidates 49 ineffective, duplicative, and unnecessary programs, replacing them with the simple grants that providing states and school districts with more flexibility; Supports the start-up, replication and expansion of high-quality public charter schools, which Alabama can now access to support its recently-enacted charter school program. Of course, I would prefer that the bill go much further in severing ties between federal and state governments in education, and voted to support amendments doing just that. However, it would be foolish to sacrifice all the many good, important gains made in this bill simply because it doesn’t have everything I want. The Wall Street Journal calls this bill “the largest devolution of federal control to the states in a quarter-century.” As someone who has long fought for a more conservative approach, that’s exciting. Yes, it took a lot of time and effort to build support for this idea. But, I’m proud to have kept fighting despite initial setbacks. And, I’ll be even prouder when our “Defending State Authority” language is finally part of the nation’s new, conservative education law. Martha Roby represents Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband, Riley and their two children.
Bradley Byrne: Making Congress work again
If you listen to national media outlets, all you ever hear is how Congress is completely broken and dysfunctional. While that narrative is right at times, last week was a bright spot when it comes to working together and passing long-overdue reforms. The House and the Senate earlier this year each passed separate bills to set policy for our nation’s K-12 education system and to fund our highway system, respectively. Since different bills were passed, Conference Committees made up of both House and Senate members were formed to work out the differences. Well last week, these Conference Committees each reached consensus and put forward two conservative, reform-focused bills that were long overdue. Let’s first look at the education bill. As you may know, for the last decade, our education system has been governed by a law known as No Child Left Behind. While it was written with good intentions, this law put heavy mandates and requirements on our local schools. Our education system has struggled under this heavy, top-down approach. As a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, I have long advocated for getting the federal government out of our local schools. I want to see local teachers, parents, and administrators given more control. That’s exactly what we accomplished last week when we passed the Every Student Succeeds Act. This bill gets Washington bureaucrats out of the way and empowers local teachers, principals, and administrators. The legislation achieves these goals by reducing the federal government’s role in education and restoring control back to the states and local school districts – where it belongs. I hear a lot from parents in Southwest Alabama who are concerned about the Common Core standards. The Every Student Succeeds Act actually includes strong language prohibiting the federal Secretary of Education from influencing or coercing states into adopting Common Core. It makes clear that it is solely a state’s responsibility to set academic standards and assessments. This is a huge win for educators and students. The bill also repeals the one-size-fits-all federal accountability system known as “Adequate Yearly Progress” and allows states and school districts to set their own academic standards and testing requirements. Without these reforms, we would continue to allow the Obama Administration and the federal government to dictate education policy to the states. The Every Student Succeeds Act passed the House with broad bipartisan support, and the President is expected to sign the bill. The second major accomplishment last week was on a long-term highway bill. The bill, known as the FAST Act, represents the first highway bill lasting longer than two years since 2005. For over two years now I have called for a new, long-term highway bill so we could move forward with important highway projects in Southwest Alabama like building the I-10 bridge, improving Highway 98 in north Mobile County, and four laning Highway 45 in Washington County. The fiscally-responsible highway bill is fully paid for and rejects Democrats’ efforts to raise the gas tax. The bill also includes a new program for Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects, which can likely be used to help pay for the I-10 bridge project. The highway bill passed the House by a vote of 359 to 65 and the Senate by a vote of 83 to 16. Just like the education bill, the highway bill was a great example of Republicans and Democrats working together in a bipartisan way. Many serious issues still require urgent action, but I think it is important to realize that Congress is making progress on important national priorities like strengthening our education system and improving our nation’s highway system. Bradley Byrne is a member of the U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
