Meeting of the Board of Regents | July 2007

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:
FROM:	David Miller
SUBJECT:	Proposed 2008 Regents Priority Legislation
DATE:	July 13, 2007
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Action to Implement Regents P-16 Plan
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

Executive Summary

 

Issue for Discussion

 

              Development of Regents state and federal legislative proposals for 2008.

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

              Implementation of policy.

 

Proposed Handling

 

              Each committee will discuss its respective proposals during the July 25 meeting. The full board will recommend any further revisions.

 

Procedural History

 

              Each year the Regents identify policy issues that will require legislation for implementation. Some are carried over from the previous year and some are new. Those requiring a state appropriation are included in SED’s budget proposal. The others are proposed for introduction during the legislative session. The process for developing legislative priorities is synchronized with the process for developing the Regents budget proposal.  The Governmental Relations staff, led by Diana Hinchcliff, has developed legislative recommendations, aligned with the Regents P-16 plan, based on input from the Regents and SED staff.

 

 

 

Background Information

 

              A revised proposed list of 2008 Regents priority legislation is included with this cover memo. The revisions include recommendations from the Regents and updates to the legislative status of some items.

 

Recommendation

 

              Staff recommends a discussion of the 2008 federal and state legislative priorities in the respective board committees and during the full Board meeting. Based on Regents comments, staff will finalize the legislative priorities for adoption at the September meeting.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

June Meeting: The board committees discuss their respective proposed legislative priorities.

 

July Meeting:  The board committees discuss their respective proposed legislative priorities. The full board discusses the entire list of priorities and if necessary refines them.

 

September Meeting: The full board acts on its 2008 proposed legislative priorities and its 2008-09 budget proposal.

 

             

               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROPOSED REGENTS PRIORITY LEGISLATION FOR 2008

FOR DISCUSSION

(Revised for July 2007 Meeting)

 

These are proposed state and federal legislative priorities for 2008.  Any legislative proposal enacted this year will be withdrawn. The bill numbers identified are for legislation introduced during the 2007-2008 session.  The priorities are organized by Board committee.

 

EMSC-VESID COMMITTEE

 

STATE PRIORITIES

 

1. Allow Retired Teachers to Teach in Shortage Areas

 

Description: Amend the Retirement and Social Security Law to permit retired public employees who hold a valid teaching certificate to teach subjects and in areas for which there is a shortage of teachers (math, science, bilingual education, special education) and in high needs schools without a cap on the salary they earn while also receiving a state pension. The Commissioner and New York City Department of Education chancellor would have to certify the need for teachers, and the term of the employment would be limited. This would help relieve the statewide shortage of qualified teachers for these subjects, areas and schools.

 

History: First proposed in 1999. Supported by New York State United Teachers, New York State School Boards Association, New York State Council of School Superintendents and New York City Department of Education.  (S.5752-Saland/A.9075-A-Abbate)

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 11 (#7): Strengthen instruction. Ensure all students are taught by qualified, certified teachers. Expand the pool of qualified teachers in areas where they are needed most. P. 5 (#2) & P. 6 (#3): Improve academic outcomes for children with disabilities and English language learners by holding schools accountable for dramatic improvements.

 

2. Additional Funding for Independent Living Centers

 

Description: New York’s Independent Living Centers serve over 80,000 individuals and thousands of businesses. They provide support to help disabled youth transition into adult life, acquire job readiness skills and access the services they need to live in the community. With more funding the ILCs would be able to support a larger population.

 

History: Annual appropriation needed. The Regents requested $5 million in additional funding in the 2007-08 state budget. The enacted budget included $500,000 for the existing centers plus $1 million for three new centers.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 6 (#2): Increase the number of students with disabilities transitioning directly from high schools to vocational rehabilitation training programs, employment or college.

 

3. Strengthen Early Childhood Education

 

Description: Provide funding for full-day kindergarten. Lower the compulsory school age to 5 (it is now 6).  Current law makes kindergarten optional and allows school districts to offer only half-day kindergarten programs. If children are to have the skills necessary to live in a global economy that places a premium on technology and information and is evolving at a very rapid pace they need to have the solid foundation that kindergarten brings. All students should have an equal opportunity for and access to a good start in their educational career.

 

History: First proposed in 2006. The Regents requested $3 million in the 2007-08 state budget for full-day kindergarten planning grants for school districts. The enacted budget provided funding for pre-kindergarten and $2 million for full-day kindergarten planning grants.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 4 (#1): Promote a sustainable early education program for all students.

 

4. Create an Office of Educational & Academic Technology

 

Description: $500,000 is needed to create a new Office of Educational and Academic Technology to increase and improve SED’s ability to use computer technology to more efficiently collect and analyze data to monitor and improve student performance.

 

History: First proposed in 2006.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 11 (#7): Accelerate the integration of technology into teaching and learning practices in P-16 institutions.

 

5. Reduce the Number of Required School District Reports

 

Description: Eliminate a substantial portion of the reporting and planning requirements imposed by state statute. Once this legislation is passed, SED would review its regulations and eliminate those that are duplicative or unnecessary. And, SED would establish a streamlined and unified data collection system to eliminate duplicative reporting and limit plans and reports to those necessary to carry out critical state interests, such as: maintaining accountability, closing the gap between expected and actual student achievement and protecting health and safety in schools. Federal statutory requirements would be streamlined where possible and state and federal requirements would be aligned. The net effect would be to require data reporting only once and continuously improve data collection.

 

History: New in 2004. (A.8687-Nolan/S.1773-A-Saland)

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: Would allow school districts more time to focus on implementing P-16 Plan actions.

 

6. Amend the District Superintendents of Schools Salary Cap

 

Description: Create a salary structure designed to attract qualified candidates for district superintendent positions.

 

History: New proposal.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: The district superintendents are the Commissioner’s representatives. This would install experienced, qualified leaders as district superintendents, thus enabling sound implementation of the P-16 plan.

 

 

FEDERAL PRIORITIES

 

1. Reauthorize the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act

 

Description:  NCLB expires in 2007 and must be reauthorized. The Regents have submitted comprehensive recommendations to Congress to reform NCLB to ensure improvements are made that align it with the Regents P-16 agenda. The Regents have identified five high priority issues:

 

• Single Accountability Designation: Permit states to use Title I criteria alone, including the assessments of student subgroups, to determine when a school or district is in need of improvement. Additional measurements under Title III and IDEA should be used only to determine additional needs of special populations. 

 

• Growth Models: Give states the option of using a growth model, a status model or a combination of both to determine Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

 

• Targeted Interventions and Differentiated Consequences: Permit schools to target remediation or interventions to the subgroups of students who are not achieving Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) rather than requiring that an entire school or district be subject to intervention.

 

• Assessments for Special Populations (English Language Learners and Students with Disabilities): Permit states to develop valid and reliable assessments for different sub-populations of ELLs and students with disabilities that will lead to more effective interventions.

 

• Highly Qualified Teachers (HQT): Continue to support states’ efforts to meet reasonable HQT goals and provide incentives for states to pilot approaches to improve teacher effectiveness.

 

The Regents additional recommendations focus on school readiness, school safety, school choice and Supplemental Education Services (SES), additional time for special populations to graduate, Response to Intervention (RtI), Early Intervention Services (EIS), sanctions, due process, and refocusing the Enhancing Education Through Technology program to increase the effective use of technology to improve teaching and learning.

 

In addition, the Regents have called for full funding of NCLB with emphasis on:  Title I, school improvement grants, state assessment grants, state data systems, Title V grants for innovative programs, teacher quality grants, Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Reading First & Early Reading First, Even Start, and 21st Century Community Learning Center grants.

 

History: Enacted into law in 2002.  Bills may be considered at the committee level in the House in July and the Senate in September, but it is unlikely that a reauthorization bill will be completed prior to this year’s adjournment. Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees approved increases in many NCLB programs for federal fiscal year 2008.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 10 (#6): Raise the learning standards to exceed global standards so all students graduate ready for citizenship, work, and continued education.   Align standards, assessments, curriculum and instruction across P-16, emphasizing transitions between high school and college, and high school and the workforce.

 

P. 14 (#9): Strengthen the capacity of the State Education Department to support schools as they work to improve student achievement and the Department’s capacity to hold them accountable for doing so.

 

P. 15 (#10): Create a P-16 data system to drive improvements in graduation rates in high school and higher education.

 

2. Amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Highly Qualified Teacher Provision

 

Description: IDEA ensures that children with disabilities get the services they need. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth. Social studies should be added to the list of qualifying subjects for first year special education teachers to meet Highly Qualified Teacher requirements. IDEA should be fully funded, including state grants.

 

History: Revision to 2004 statute needed.  Annual appropriations required.  Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees approved small increases, to $11.2 billion, for IDEA state grants for federal fiscal year 2008. State grants were funded at $10.8 billion in FY 2007. 

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 5 (#2):  Improve academic outcomes for children with disabilities by setting performance targets, promoting effective practices and holding schools accountable for dramatic improvements.

 

3. Reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)

 

Description: WIA connects the parts of the education system that address out-of-school youth and adults (vocational rehabilitation, adult education and family literacy, and postsecondary vocational and technical education) with workforce development. Priority issues are to:

 

• Create new line item appropriation or renew New York’s authority to oversee one-stop infrastructure funding
• Maintain program balance between in-school and out-of-school youth & simplify eligibility requirements
• Expand state workforce investment boards to include representative for persons with disabilities and maintain their representation on local boards
• Create new grant program for states with high performing adult education systems
• Increase percentage of funding permitted for state leadership activities
• Maintain maintenance of effort requirements
• Create health literacy program
• Establish new funding source to enhance transition services for students with disabilities
• Revise funding formula for vocational rehabilitation state grants
• Increase funding for adult education state grants

 

History: WIA is overdue for reauthorization. The Senate Appropriations Committee provided level funding for federal fiscal year 2008 of $564 million for Adult Education State Grants; the House Appropriations Committee increased funding to $589 million. 

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 10 (#6):  Will enable students to be ready for citizenship, work and continued education. P. 6 (#2): Increase the number of students with disabilities transitioning directly from high schools to vocational rehabilitation training programs, employment and/or college.

 

4. Maintain Medicaid reimbursement for school-based services to students with disabilities, including for administrative and transportation services

 

Description: Low income students with disabilities are entitled to Medicaid reimbursement for certain health-related services that enable them to attend school with their non-disabled peers. These services are mandated by federal law. The federal government may discontinue reimbursement for these services through regulation. Should these services not be eligible for reimbursement, the states or school districts would have to assume the expense. The loss to New York would be in excess of $44 million a year. In addition, the Medicaid budget must contain adequate funds for school districts to provide these services.

 

History: Commissioner Mills wrote to US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt in 2006 opposing the elimination of these reimbursements and urging full funding of IDEA, which in connection with adequate Medicaid funding would enable students with disabilities to receive the health-related services they need. The Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act has been introduced in the House (HR 1017) and Senate (S 578) to require the federal government to provide reimbursement for school-based services.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: Will enable low income students with disabilities to attend school and graduate.

 

5. Secure Continuation of the E-rate Program

 

Description: The E-rate program provides funding to telecommunications vendors to support discounts to schools and libraries for telecommunications, Internet access and internal connections (cables and network infrastructure). The discount rate depends on schools’ and libraries’ participation in the National School Lunch Program and their urban/rural status. Annual requests for E-rate funding exceed the funds available. Up to $2.25 billion is available each year. For the past nine years, New York has received an average of $12.7 million.

 

History: Permanent exemption from the federal Anti-deficiency Act is needed for this program to operate efficiently. It has been operating under a series of temporary exemptions. It must be protected so all school districts and libraries are able to purchase the telecommunications equipment they need.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 11 (#7): Accelerate the integration of technology into teaching and learning practices in P-16 institutions.

 

6. Reauthorize Head Start

 

Description: Head Start promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families. The Head Start program provides grants to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies to provide comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with a special focus on helping preschoolers develop the early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school. Head Start funding should be allowed to be used for all state-approved pre-kindergarten programs. Standards, curriculum, assessment and data reporting in pre-kindergarten and early education programs should be coordinated with state and local education agencies. Program must be fully funded so all eligible children can be served.

 

History: The House passed a reauthorization bill in May; the Senate passed a bill in June. Annual appropriations are needed. The House Appropriations Committee approved an additional $75 million for Head Start in federal fiscal year 2008 for a total of $6.96 billion; the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a total of $7.1 billion.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 4 (#1): Promote a sustainable early education program for all students. Resolve issues of standards, funding and service delivery for young children.

 

STATE AID SUBCOMMITTEE

 

Description: Continue the Foundation Formula based on the costs of successful educational programs.  Adequately fund state aid. The state aid proposal for fiscal year 2008-2009 is being developed.

 

History: The 2007-08 state budget enacted a modified version of the Regents Foundation Formula into law.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 14 (#8): Advocate for a foundation formula to provide state aid that is adequate, sustainable, fair and commensurate with the cost of educational programs that enable students to meet the standards.

 

HIGHER EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE COMMITTEE

 

STATE PRIORITIES

 

1. Funding for SED to implement Student Lending, Accountability, Transparence and Enforcement Law

 

Description: Provide $800,000 for the first year and continued funding thereafter for SED to carry out its responsibilities under this law, intended to reform the student loans industry. SED must: write regulations for and oversee the practices of banks and lending institutions that make student loans, oversee reporting requirements for loan officers and financial aid officers, investigate alleged violations, conduct hearings and levy fines for violations, and administer a grant program using the fines to provide information to prospective borrowers. This is not expertise that SED has currently.

 

History: Attorney general’s initiative. Enacted as Chapter 41 of the Laws of 2007.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 10 (#5): Require colleges and universities to provide prospective students with accurate information on colleges and student financial assistance before they enroll.

 

2. Authority to Charge a Fee to Enforce the Prosecution of Illegal Practice of the Professions

 

Description: Chapter 615 of the Laws of 2003 gave SED the authority to prosecute illegal

practice but did not provide funding. SED’s budgetary constraints make designated funding an imperative for implementing the required activities. SED needs statutory authority to impose a $10 surcharge on triennial registrations and re-registrations. The fee is expected to generate roughly $2 million annually. A coalition of associations representing 750,000 professionals supports this fee.

 

History: First proposed in 1999.  (A.1928-Canestrari).

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: Not addressed directly. Will protect the public from harm by unlicensed professionals.

 

3. Update The Public Accountancy Statute

 

Description: The practice of public accountancy has evolved to include professional services and practices that were not offered when the current statute was enacted in 1947. Expanding the definition of practice to include all types of professional services that reflect contemporary business practices, including tax return preparation, financial planning, management consulting, investment management and the like, would strengthen public protection.

 

History: First proposed in 1999.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: Not addressed directly. Will protect the public who use the services of public accountants.

 

4. Update Statutory Requirements for Regulation of Oversight of Proprietary Schools

 

Description: The current fee and fine structures would be increased and adjusted to support SED’s oversight of non-degree granting proprietary schools. This will protect students from illegal and unethical practices, create a candidacy school program to eliminate unlicensed schools, and create a disbursement schedule for private lenders that are required to reimburse students from the Tuition Reimbursement Account when schools go bankrupt or are in financial difficulty.

 

History: First proposed in 2006. 

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 10 (#5): Monitor high risk institutions and take action when standards are not met.

 

5. Grant Program for Colleges to Provide Services to Students with Disabilities

 

Description: Students with disabilities are graduating from high school and going to college in higher numbers than ever before. Because the cost of accommodations such as computer systems, interpreters and captioning services is prohibitive for some colleges, students often are forced to choose a college based on the support services available instead of academic excellence. Tuition and student fees do not cover the cost of these accommodations.  This proposal is coordinated with VESID.

 

History: First proposed in 2001.  The Regents proposed $15 million in the 2007-08 budget. The enacted budget did not include this funding.  (A.7330-Titus/S.3436-Morahan).

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 6 (#2): Increase the number of students with disabilities transitioning directly from high schools to college.

 

6. TAP For Incarcerated Persons

 

Description: Would make incarcerated persons enrolled in higher education eligible to receive student aid under the state’s Tuition Assistance Program.

 

History: New proposal.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 9 (#5): Seek additional state investment to expand financial aid for needy students.

 

FEDERAL PRIORITY

 

Reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA)

 

Description: HEA supports states’ efforts to extend educational opportunity and maintain a highly skilled workforce and citizenry. It funds student financial assistance, early outreach and student services, teacher quality development and postsecondary institutions. Recommendations include: expand college access; expand preparation and professional development programs for school personnel; align highly qualified teacher reporting requirements with No Child Left Behind; and establish a TRIO program option for students with disabilities who face socioeconomic and related barriers to higher education. Sufficient funding is needed for: Pell grants (tuition aid), Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG); Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP), Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP) and TRIO. LEAP, GEAR UP and TRIO provide funds to help low income and at-risk youth prepare for and succeed in undergraduate and graduate study. Programs must be fully funded.

 

History: Reauthorization is being done through two separate bills. The House passed the student loan portion of the HEA reauthorization (HR 2669) in July; the House Education and Labor Committee is tentatively scheduled to consider additional provisions in the fall. Both bills (S 1642 & S 1762) have been approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and are awaiting floor action. Requires an annual appropriation. Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees approved increased funding for Pell grants, GEAR UP, and TRIO for federal fiscal year 2008 and restored funding for other college access programs.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 9 (#5): Increase investment in [college] programs that have been shown to remove barriers to graduation. P. 8 (#4): Promote good practices statewide to improve…college graduation rates among low income students.

 

CULTURAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE

 

STATE PRIORITIES

 

1. Funding for the New York Knowledge Initiative

 

Description: A comprehensive multi-year program to improve the quality of libraries, archives, museums and public broadcasting that would fund: NOVELNY (New York Online Virtual Electronic Library); library systems; library construction and renovation; the Statewide Summer Reading Program; services for English language learners; early literacy  programs for libraries, museums and public TV stations; library and museum services for students with disabilities; learning standards-aligned content using resources of the NYS Archives, Library, Museum and public broadcasting; management, disposition and preservation of state and local government electronic records; books for public and college libraries; disaster preparedness and recovery for collections and records held by New York’s governments and cultural institutions;  library, museum & public broadcasting station trustee training; and state research library Saturday and weekend hours.

 

History:  First proposed in 2007, building on earlier New Century Libraries proposal.  The Regents requested $27 million in the 2007-08 state budget, which included funding for NOVELNY, library systems and library construction. The enacted budget included $5 million additional aid for library systems and $14 million additional funding for library construction but no funding for NOVELNY. (A.7272-Paulin/S.2125-Farley)

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 5 (#1): Increase literacy of children & parents by expanding programs in libraries. Increase participation in summer reading program.  P. 7 (#3): Expand library services to additional English language learners. P. 11 (#6): Create standards-aligned content with extensive online library resources.

 

2. Cultural and Museum Education Act

 

Description: $40 million to empower New York’s cultural and science institutions to create K-12 educational programs aligned with the state learning standards, support innovative teaching strategies for learning 21st century skills, and provide access for all New York students to the state’s cultural heritage.  The emphasis would be on experiential learning.  Cultural institutions, natural history organizations and museums would be eligible for grants for programs aligned with the state learning standards.  In addition, $15 million in grants for performing arts institutions would be administered by the NYS Council on the Arts.

 

History: New proposal in 2007. Interest by Regents to increase funding level and broaden title and scope.  (A.8685-Nolan/S.5781-Saland)

 

Alignment with the Regents P-16 Plan: P. 5 (#1): Increase literacy of children & parents by expanding programs in museums. P. 10 (#6): Raise the learning standards to exceed global standards so all students graduate ready for citizenship, work and continued education.

 

3. Criminal History Checks for Office of Cultural Education Employees & Volunteers

 

Description: Would require OCE employees and volunteers to be fingerprinted as a condition of employment or acceptance as a volunteer. This would protect children and students who tour the State Museum, State Archives and State Library and reduce the possibility of theft of valuable and irreplaceable items and artifacts.

 

History:  First proposed in 2006.  (A.8683-Nolan/S.4331/Saland)

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: Not addressed directly. Needed to protect students’ and others while visiting the State Museum, State Archives and State Library.

 

FEDERAL PRIORITIES

 

1. Reauthorize the Museum and Library Services Act

 

Description:  New York’s libraries use MLSA grant funds to sustain services for their communities. Grant amounts to states are based on population. New York’s population is not increasing at the same rate as other states. Full funding is needed so libraries can improve services to underserved areas and provide information resources such as computers and Internet access, coordinated programs for digitization and digital archiving, shared electronic catalogs, high speed broadband telecommunications and 24/7 online reference and resource sharing services. Funding level should be adequate for the need.

 

History: Reauthorization is due in 2008. An annual appropriation is required.  The House Appropriations Committee approved $254 million for federal fiscal year 2008; the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $268 million. It was funded at $247 million in FY 2007

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 5 (#1): Increase literacy of children & parents by expanding programs in museums.

 

2. Fund Public Education Programs

 

Description: Funding must continue for these programs: Corporation for Public Broadcasting; Public Telecommunications Facilities, Planning and Construction; Rural Utilities Services Digital Transition; National Historical Publications & Records Commission; Partnership for the American Historical Record; Library of Congress National Digital Information Infrastructure Preservation; Improving Literacy Through School Libraries; Star Schools. Funding level should be adequate for the need.

 

History: Annual appropriations needed.  The House and Senate Appropriations Committees both approved funding of $420 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for federal fiscal year 2010, a $20 million increase, and close to doubled funding for FY 2008 for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, to $10 million. Improving Literacy Through School Libraries was level funded, at $19.5 million, by both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 10 (#6): Will contribute to aligning standards, assessments, curriculum and instruction across P-16, emphasizing transitions between high school and college, and high school and the workforce so all students graduate ready for citizenship, work and continued education.

 

3. Support Public Television’s “Ready to Compete” Agenda

 

Description: Funding is needed to sustain Ready to Learn and Ready to Teach, and to create Ready to Achieve (Math, Science, Technology and Innovation), Ready to Earn (Workforce Training and Adult Education) and Ready to Thrive (Public Health). Funding level should be adequate for the need.

 

History: New authorizations and reauthorizations needed. Annual and new appropriations needed.    Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees approved level funding of $24.3 million for Ready to Learn and $10.9 million for Ready to Teach for federal fiscal year 2008.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 10 (#6): Raise the learning standards to exceed global standards so all students graduate ready for citizenship, work and continued education.

 

4. Support Strong School Libraries

 

Description: Support the Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries (SKILLs) Act (HR 2864 and S1699), which will guarantee that students will be served by highly qualified, state-certified school library media specialists and have the library resources they need to succeed. The SKILLs Act would ensure that: library funds would be available to serve students in elementary, middle and high schools throughout the nation; appropriate books and materials would be available for students at all grade levels, including those with special learning needs and those learning English as a second language; and highly qualified school library media specialists would be available to support all students’ learning needs. Today only 60 percent of school libraries have full-time, state-certified school library media specialists on staff.  

 

History: New. Introduced in Congress June 26, 2007. This bill amends provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding school library media specialists, and also reauthorizes and strengthens the Information Literacy Through School Libraries Program of the No Child Left Behind Act.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: (#1): Increase literacy of children & parents by expanding programs in libraries. P. 10 (#6): Raise the learning standards to exceed global standards so all students graduate ready for citizenship, work and continued education.

 

5. Support the Partnership for the American Historical Record Initiative

 

Description: Congress is expected to introduce legislation next year to create the Partnership for the American Historical Record.  This initiative would increase federal support for state and local archival records held by state and local governments, historical societies, libraries and related organizations.  Funding would be distributed through each state’s archives, based on a formula and in alignment with priorities established by that state. 

 

History:  To date, the only federal funding available for archival and historical records programs has been a nationally competitive program of $5 million annually, increased to $10 million for FY 2008 by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, through the National Historical Publications and Records Commission of the National Archives.   Unlike libraries and museums, there has been no regular funding to support programs in each state.

 

Alignment with Regents P-16 Plan: P. 10 (#6):  Raise the learning standards to exceed global standards so all students graduate ready for citizenship, work and continued education.  This initiative will ensure that primary resources for education will be identified, preserved and accessible.