November 16, 2015                     
Table of Contents
GaDOE Attrition Survey
Amendment to Georgia's Special Needs Scholarship
More Local Districts Named Strategic Waiver School Systems
Other Items
September State Board of Education Meeting
November 4th and 5th, 2015
 
On Wednesday, Nov. 4 and Thursday, Nov. 5, the State Board of Education (SBOE) held its monthly committee meetings and full board meeting. Of particular note, Mary Sue Murray, one of the longest serving members of the SBOE representing Georgia's 13th Congressional District, will be leaving her position on Dec. 31.
GaDOE Attrition Survey
The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) is studying the reasons why teachers leave public education as a profession. The department invites current public school classroom teachers across the state to take a few moments to answer a seven-question survey to help understand how to reverse this trend in Georgia.

All responses to the survey will remain anonymous.

CLICK HERE to take the survey.
Amendment to Georgia's Special Needs Scholarship
The SBOE adopted an amendment to Georgia's Special Needs Scholarship program to align the program with changes made by HB 70 from the 2014 session of the Georgia General Assembly, and HB 62 and HB 209 from the 2015 session.

HB 70 allows for the waiver of certain requirements of the Special Needs Scholarship for students deemed medically fragile.

HB 62 allows waivers of certain requirements for a student whose parent is an active duty military service member stationed in Georgia within the previous year.

HB 209 requires written notice of the options available to parents of applicants for the Special Needs Scholarship at the initial Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting.

There was a public hearing on this rule prior to the vote; however, no one spoke for or against the amendment.
More Local Districts Named Strategic Waiver School Systems
The SBOE also approved Strategic Waivers School System (SWSS) contracts with the following systems: Appling, Chickamauga, Clayton, Columbia, Cook, Echols, Griffin-Spalding, Habersham, Heard, Henry, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Marion, McIntosh, Murray, Social Circle, and Thomaston-Upson. Rabun County also had its SWSS contact renewed. "SWSS" was formerly referred to as "IE2" before the terminology changed earlier this year. "Status Quo" districts are now referred to as "No Waiver" systems.      

CLICK HERE for the full list of the SWSS/Charter/No Waiver status of Georgia's school systems.
Nominating Committee Report
The Nominating Committee of the SBOE presented the following names for board leadership for 2016. The board will vote on these recommendations at its next regular meeting on Dec. 10.
  • Chair - Mike Royal
  • Vice Chair - Lisa Kinnemore
  • Vice Chair of Appeals - Kevin Boyd.

Josh Stephens - Legislative Policy Analyst


          


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