Legislative Update

Pleasanton PTA Council

April 4, 2005

  1. Local Issues:

PUSD Board policy on “Election Activity of School Employees and Administrative Regulations” was not approved at the March 22nd board meeting and has gone back to staff for revision. 

  1. State Issues
  1. Proposition 98

·        Press conference scheduled for Wednesday, April 6th at 10:00 am at the Alameda County Office of Education to speak out against proposed cuts to Proposition 98.  Dr. Casey of PUSD and Debbie Look of PTA Council will be at the event.

·        Thursday, April 28th at 12:00 noon:  California State PTA Rally on the steps of the Capitol in Sacramento to urge Governor Schwarzenegger to:

·         Honor his promise to restore $2 billion in education funding to California’s schools

·        Uphold Proposition 98, which guarantees a minimum level of education funding for public schools

·        Rebuild California’s commitment to education

·        Parents and students from throughout the state are encouraged to attend to send a strong message to the Governor and the legislators about these critical issues.  This is happening on the day that the PTA convention opens in Sacramento.  We have no plans to organize a bus to take people from this area as most of us will be in Sacramento that week and would not be here to coordinate.  If people are interested in coming to Sacramento, please contact me (look49@comcast.net) and we may be able to connect groups interested in going. 

Current Bills:

·        SB 12 (Escutia) School Food Nutrition – specifies that all food sold on school grounds during the school day would meet nutritional guidelines regarding fat & sugar content effective July 1, 2007. State PTA is supporting this bill.

·        SB 965 (Escutia) Nutrition:  Beverages – extends ban on sodas, fruit drinks, etc. to high schools for the entire school day  - State PTA is supporting.

·        AB 66 (Pavley) & AB 1394 are addressing changing the date for kindergarten entry to September 1st – State PTA is watching these bills

·        AB 172 (Chan) aims to expand voluntary preschool to all 4 year olds.  Connected to Preschool initiative being prepared for the June 2006 ballot.

·        SB 660 (Kuehl) – Student Interrogations.  State PTA is sponsoring this legislation and is working very hard to ensure it passes.  Last year’s bill AB 1012 (Steinberg) on the same issue passed both houses with wide bipartisan margins but was vetoed by the Governor.  SB 660 would ensure that parents be notified and given the chance to be present if law enforcement officials want to formally question their child at school.

·        SB 688 (Speier) – Skin Cancer Prevention Act for California Schools:  requires instruction K-12 in skin cancer prevention and would require new schools to provide shade structures over playground structures & outdoor eating areas.  State PTA has a WATCH position on this bill.  Going to hearing on April 13th. 

·        SCAX11 (Runner) – Teacher Merit Pay:  prohibits use of seniority in hiring or other decisions; based teacher and administrative performance on student achievements on standardized tests; and require 10 years for teachers to earn permanent status rather than current 2 years.  State PTA has a WATCH position on this bill but notes that the Senate committee held this bill for further discussion, which is the equivalent of tabling or killing the motion.  Governor may choose to take action through a ballot initiative.

3.      National Issues

·        No Child Left Behind:  National PTA supported the passage of NCLB because PTA believes that every child should be held to high expectations and have the opportunity to attend a quality public school staffed with excellent, qualified teachers.  Federal legislators were informed that while a National PTA poll reveals that members support the goals of NCLB, those members also believe that the implementation of the law has created some significant problems for schools, districts and states.  PTA urges changes in the law and/or regulations to ensure that NCLB is effectively implemented so as to improve public education rather than penalize it.

·        S 15 Quality Education for All Act:  cosponsored by Senators Boxer & Feinstein among others.  Addresses vast array of educational issues including Head Start programs; childcare; assessment & accountability; teacher quality; public school choice, etc.