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The State Board of Education met on Wednesday, August 20th for committee meetings and Thursday, August 21st for the full Board meeting.
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GA SBOE Passes Nutrition Waiver
At its August meeting, the State Board of Education (SBOE) passed a rule allowing local school districts to deviate from new federal guidelines prohibiting schools from selling snacks which compete with school lunch. The SBOE rule will allow schools to hold snack fundraisers for up to 90 days throughout the school year. School nutritionists from several Georgia school districts addressed the board during the public comment period, arguing that the SBOE rule sacrifices long-term student health over short-term fundraising goals. The speakers included the current Georgia School Nutrition Association President. A representative from the Georgia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance urged the board to allow fewer than 90 days of exemptions as many states are doing, or, to consider a graduated exemption rule, allowing fewer days of unhealthy snack sales in elementary schools than in Georgia high schools.
Board discussion on the proposed rule indicated that many state school board members share the nutritionists' concerns regarding student consumption of candy and other unhealthy snacks. One board member suggested that the cafeteria at the US Department of Education should serve only foods prescribed under The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Board members also mentioned that local school superintendents report that the number of students qualifying for federal free-and-reduced lunch is up in addition to the number of uneaten school lunches. Ultimately, state board members' concern regarding federal overreach and desire to allow more local control at the district level prevailed. The board passed the rule with only one dissenting vote.
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Common Core
State board members also discussed recent legislative hearings on Common Core and the role of the federal government in Georgia Education. (Access PAGE coverage of recent study committee meetings HERE.) Educators from Troup County Schools presented information about their use of standards-based education and their autonomy to create curriculum around the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards.
The Chief Academic Officer from the Georgia Board of Regents then introduced several experts on teacher education and the creation of Common Core. Dr. Gary Martin from Auburn University, a leader in the field of math education, told board members that Common Core is merely a framework designed to help students become college and career ready. Dr. Denise Spangler from the University of Georgia, who specializes in the development of new math teachers and sits on the Clarke County School Board, differentiated Common Core and the Georgia Performance Standards. She warned state board members that going back to old standards would be disheartening to educators and encourage more teacher attrition. Spangler said she firmly believes in local control and that Common Core standards allow for it, assuring members that teachers can "contextualize" to the situation in their local school districts.
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Budget, Milestones Testing, & Other Agenda Items
The Georgia Department of Education's Chief Financial Officer, Scott Austenson, briefly sketched out the new state education budget. He mentioned that the Governor's office has directed no further proposed cuts to education and has indicated that Agriculture Education and testing budget items will receive additional funding.
The SBOE also adopted an amendment to its testing rule, allowing for the new Georgia Milestones Assessment Program.
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