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House and Senate Sessions Complete Work for
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Crossover
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Both the House and Senate met in session this week to complete necessary work on bills by the deadline. Hearings on bills now resume in earnest in both the House and Senate. April 21 is the deadline for House/Senate action on any bill going to a second committee (e.g financial impact reviewed by Finance Committee), and May 12 is the deadline for action on any remaining House/Senate bill in the Senate/House. For bills where disagreement remains over the language, Committees of Conference must be formed by May 19, and complete their work by May 26. The last day for House and Senate action on a Committee of Conference report is Thursday, June 2nd.
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House Approves Nonpublic School Assignments
HB1637
allows a school district to assign a child to another public school in another school district or to an approved, non-religious private school if there is no public school for the child's grade in the child's resident district
. If a school district does not have its own public school for certain grades, the bill allows the district to tuition students to a non-religious private school approved for attendance by the Department of Education. There is currently pending legal action related to this very issue, with significant implications for local districts. Ought to Pass as Amended (OTP/A) 208-143
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House Approves Provision Allowing Students to Opt Out of Statewide Assessment
HB1338
provides that a student exempted from taking the statewide assessment by the student's parent or legal guardian shall not be penalized. The bill also requires a school district to provide an appropriate alternative educational activity for the time period during which the assessment is administered
. Ought to Pass (OTP) 204-151
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House Approves Requirement of Advance Notice Policy for Drug/Alcohol/Sex Education
HB1231
requires school districts to adopt a notification policy that alerts parents not less than one week in advance whenever curriculum course material is used for instruction of drug and alcohol education, human sexuality, or human sexual education. OTP/A 219-146
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House Approves Requirement for Intervention for Dyslexia
HB1644
adds a new subdivision to the statutes for screening and intervention for dyslexia and related disorders. The bill provides that, "School districts shall screen all public school students using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) or an equivalent cost effective screener for the identification of potential indicators or risk factors of dyslexia and related disorders upon enrollment in public school kindergarten or first grade, and at appropriate times thereafter, to monitor progress
." In addition, the district "shall provide age-appropriate, evidence-based intervention strategies for any [identified] student." While no additional funding is provided, the bill does establish the position of reading specialist in the Department of Education, to provide school districts with the support and resources necessary to assist students with dyslexia and related disorders. Ought to Pass as Amended (OTP/A) Voice Vote
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House Rejects Proposal to Elect The State Board of Education
HB1484
requires one member of the state board of education to be elected by the voters in each county. Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL) 225-126. In addition, two senate bills addressing similar topics at the Dept. of Education (appointment/election of Commissioner/State Board: SB354 & SB355) were referred to interim study in the Senate.
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Additional House Actions This Week
OTP Ought to Pass - OTP/A Ought to Pass as Amended - ITL Inexpedient to Legislate - Int Study Interim Study
HB1120
requires all chartered public school teaching staff to possess a valid New Hampshire teaching credential. ITL
HB1130
permits, with the approval of the school board or by an approved warrant article at the annual school district meeting, the placement of a memorial or a memorial plaque on school property to honor alumni who have died honorably during active duty. OTP/A
HB1229
, prohibiting the inclusion of statewide assessment results in a student's transcript without consent. OTP
HB1300
amends the requirement for patriotic exercises in public schools to include a discussion of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner. OTP
HB1365
requires public schools to observe New Hampshire constitution day on June 2. ITL
HB1393
requires the Dept. of Educ. to report on the number of students receiving differentiated aid from the state and to compare the statewide assessment results of those students, by category of aid received, with the statewide assessment results of students not receiving differentiated aid, to determine the benefit of additional aid. ITL (180-177)
HB1414
repeals the home education advisory council. ITL
HB1497
gives students taking college entrance exams the option to have all their personal information destroyed by the testing entity following the completion and verification of the test. OTP
HB1630
increases the amount of per pupil adequacy aid, increases the amount of aid to certain third grade pupils, and provides fiscal capacity disparity aid to certain school districts. ITL
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Upcoming Legislative Education Schedule
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Tuesday, March 29, 2016
House EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB
10:00 a.m. Executive session on SB 373, relative to the information technology infrastructure in public schools; SB 460, authorizing the state board of education to adopt rules relative to child sexual abuse and healthy relationships; SB 320, relative to non-academic surveys administered by a public school to its students; SB 483-FN, (New Title) establishing a committee to study the necessity of creating a chartered public school program officer position and to study appropriations to chartered public schools for the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years.
Senate EDUCATION, Room 103, LOB
9:00 a.m. HB 1225, permitting high school students who are members of the armed forces to wear their uniforms at graduation.
9:15 a.m. HB 1239, relative to certain terminology in the education statutes.
9:30 a.m. HB 1303, establishing a commission to study issues relating to pre-existing districts withdrawing from a cooperative school district.
9:50 a.m. HB 1121, relative to the academic areas that comprise the statewide assessment.
10:20 a.m. HB 1283, relative to school notification of a change in placement.
EXECUTIVE SESSION MAY FOLLOW
