May 21st, 2015                     
Table of Contents
Funding Subommittee Reports Out Major Changes to Teacher Pay Model
Early Childhood Subcommittee Reports Consensus on Pre-K Teacher Pay
Move on When Ready Subcommittee Focuses on Increasing Flexibility in the Classroom
School Choice Subcommittee Reports Charter Policy Enhancements
Teacher Recruitment, Retention, and Compensation Subcommittee Discusses Updated Compensation Model
Education Reform Commission May Meeting
On Thursday, May 20th, the full Education Reform Commission met in the Department of Early Care and Learning boardroom. The room was packed with multiple stakeholders interested in the work done by each of the subcommittees of the Commission so far.

To view the full PowerPoint from the meeting, CLICK HERE
Funding Subcommittee Reports Out Major Changes to Teacher Pay Model

Dr. Charles Knapp, the chair of the Commission as well as the chair of the Funding Subcommittee, began the meeting by presenting the progress of the Funding Subcommittee as they work to develop a new funding formula before the August 1st deadline imposed by Governor Deal. Knapp reiterated that the Funding Subcommittee is not attempting to identify the cost of educating Georgia students. Rather, their goal is to figure out a way to better distribute funding.

 

Members of the subcommittee developed a framework for new funding formula would include three components: base funding, weights for student characteristics and state initiatives, and categorical grants. Dr. Knapp provided a list of areas discussed by the subcommittee to be funded in the base:

 

Kindergarten, Grades 1-3, Grades 4-8, High School General Education, EIP K-5, Remedial 6-12, Nursing Services, Alternative Education, Central Administration, School Administration, Facility Maintenance and Operation, Media Center Program, 20 Days Additional Instruction, Staff and Professional Development, Teacher Training and Experience, State Health Benefits, Teacher Retirement Contributions, and CTAE

 

Teacher training and experience funding was discussed at length by members of the Commission. Dr. Knapp explained that teacher compensation should be tied to effectiveness and responsibility, and not to training and experience. Districts should have flexibility to determine teacher compensation and need time to develop new approaches to teacher compensation. The state would continue to calculate T & E for a period of time to allow districts to develop new models. At the previous meeting of the subcommittee, Marietta City Schools provided information on progress toward a new compensation model for the district.


When asked which teacher effectiveness measure will be used in determining compensation for T&E, Dr. Knapp explained there are some who would like to go back to old system due to the issues that have arisen from the TKES and LKES evaluation systems. His hope is that districts will use TKES to develop their compensation systems, but the responsibility will be theirs. He reiterated the goal of the subcommittee to allow districts to develop their own compensation models for T&E.

 

The weighted student characteristics discussed by the subcommittee include:

 

K-3 (to address literacy by the 3rd grade), 9-12 (to address expenses of specific career and post secondary preparation programs), ESOL, Exceptional Students (to include students with disabilities and gifted students), and Economically Disadvantaged Students.

 

Dr. Knapp pointed out that the subcommittee will continue discussions on how to properly weight economically disadvantaged students.

 

The categorical grants discussed by the subcommittee include:

 

Transportation, Sparsity, Hold harmless, Equalization, State charter system supplements, and System charter supplements.

 

PAGE provided comments to the Funding Subcommittee on updating the funding formula for public schools.  CLICK HERE to read the report and the letter. 

Early Childhood Subcommittee Reports Consensus on Pre-K Teacher Pay
 

Amy Jacobs, the chair of the Early Childhood Education Subcommittee and Commissioner of the Department of Early Childhood Care and Learning, presented her subcommittee's recommendations for items to be considered by the full Commission:

  • Recommendation #1: Increase pre-k class start-up funds to $12,000. Currently, start-up funds are at $8,000
  • Recommendation #2: Develop a pay structure based on pre-k lead teacher's years of experience and credential. Salary for those with bachelor degrees would increase from $24,739.71 to $26,000. Certified salaries would be maintained at $34,095.50. A base level would be added for those with Masters degrees at $38,400. An experience scale would be created that would be capped after 20 years. Commissioner Jacobs described the necessity in retaining lead teachers as frewuent turnover impacts the quality of education for the child. This model also allows for differentiation of pay based on credentials and experience. Currently, there is not a uniform measure for effectiveness in Pre-K.
  • Recommendation #3: Increase assistant teacher salary by 8-11% ($14,700-$15,100). Jacobs described assistant teachers as integral to the classroom.
  • Recommendation #4: Reduce class size to 20 children with a lead and assistant teacher. This reduction would improve the quality of classroom instruction and provide a better education for students.
  • Recommendation #5: Combine benefits and non-instructional costs in a single budget line item known as "operating costs."
  • Recommendation 6: Provide bond funds for a pilot project to expand Georgia's pre-k in public schools where the need is the greatest.
Move on When Ready Subcommittee Focuses on Increasing Flexibility in the Classroom

Next, Matt Arthur, the chair of the Move on When Ready Subcommittee and Deputy Commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia, presented the progress of the subcommittee. Based on the discussion of subcommittee members, they have found that more diverse classrooms are needed in order to better identify students that are able to move on when ready. He reiterated comments by other chairs that K-3 education is the foundational time period in a child's life, and school districts need more flexibility on educating these kids whether the school calendar is expanded to more than 180 days or some other method.

 

He also explained the discussion of the subcommittee on developing a way for students to move one when ready on a subject-by-subject basis while keeping these students in the same classroom.

 

The subcommittee has also discussed the benefits and negatives of standardized testing in the state and a need to look at how local districts are implementing these tests. Arthur stated that the way testing is handled in schools now will prevent students from moving on when ready unless flexibility in testing periods and the amount of testing is provided. Finally, Arthur discussed the need to incentivize schools in participating in dual enrollment programs.
School Choice Subcommittee Reports Charter Policy Enhancements

Nels Peterson, the chair of the School Choice Subcommittee, updated the Commission on the progress of the subcommittee. Peterson mentioned that a lot of the work that the subcommittee will do would be based on work done by the Funding Subcommittee. In his presentation, Peterson said Georgia's charter school laws have progressively become weaker when compared to other states in the Southeast.

 

Peterson also discussed the need to explore different funding methods for charter school facilities. Currently, this is the largest expense for most charter schools, and because charter schools do not have access to ESPLOST dollars, this can be challenging for the schools.

 

At the next meeting of the committee, there will be discussion on education savings accounts and the student scholarship organizations.
Teacher Recruitment, Retention, and Compensation Subcommittee Discusses Updated Compensation Model

Pam Williams, the chair of the Teacher Recruitment, Retention and Compensation Subcommittee, described meetings that the subcommittee has had with over 130 teachers from across the state (including PAGE members) as well as meetings with deans of colleges of education to gain input and hear concerns about the current climate of the teaching profession.

 

Major questions that the subcommittee had after these meetings centered on the creation of a strategic compensation model and how veteran teachers with advanced degrees will fit into this model. Another issue is how to balance equality between Georgia Milestones and SLOs in this compensation model. The subcommittee will also explore how to offer and fund career "ladders/pathways" that allow teachers to grow professionally without leaving the classroom. The committee would also like to work with the GA Department of Education and the Georgia General Assembly to place a "moratorium" on changes to Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in order for teachers and districts to adjust to the current system. The subcommittee heard from many educators that having to adjust to a different CIA system every few years has become burdensome.

 

Interestingly, Williams mentioned that the subcommittee met over lunch before the full Commission meeting to discuss the compensation model mentioned above. This meeting was not publicized, and no stakeholders were present to hear the discussion. 


          


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