LaTEACH
Join Fellow LaTEACH Members!
Put on your Purple  
BESE needs to hear your voice!
October 7, 2014


The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) meets next week.   Of particular interest to LaTEACH members, BESE will consider:
  • Jump Start graduation pathways
  • Technical assistance on special education compliance to charter schools only in New Orleans
  • School system at financial risk due to loss of students to charter schools
  • Graduation rates

Consideration of the issues above begin in Committee meetings starting at

12:30 next Tuesday, October 14th.

WHEN:         October 14 & 15, 2014

  

WHERE:      Claiborne Building

The Louisiana Purchase Room (1-100)

1201 N. Third Street

Baton Rouge, LA  70802


LaTEACH members are encouraged to attend BESE meetings to remind BESE members who we are and that decisions should be made that consider the best interest of ALL kids.

 

If you don't have a purple LaTEACH shirt, contact your LaTEACH Regional Leader or info@lateach.org and we will provide one for you at the BESE meeting.

Important Information

BESE Committee Meetings

October 14, 2014

Critical Issues Pertaining to Students with Disabilities

 

12:30 p.m.  Academic Goals and Instructional Improvement Committee

 

Item 4.1 Consideration of approval of Jump Start Graduation Pathways

Jump Start graduation pathways are submitted by Regional Teams. Jump Start was created so students can graduate prepared to attain entry-level employment in Louisiana.  It has been reported that a Jump Start proposal was not considered for approval because the proposal contained a pathway with basic level skill sets that employers indicated they valued in considering new hires.  The Regional Team was considering alternative pathways for certain students with disabilities to graduate in accordance with Act 833 in their Jump Start proposal.  These expanded options may provide pathways for some students to graduate with increased opportunities and skills that enable them to contribute and get more experience working as welder's helper, direct care provider, or plumber's assistant.  

For more information click: Jump Start Graduation Pathways.

 

2:30 p.m.        Administration and Finance Committee

 

Item 2.2 Consideration of LDE contracts of $50,000 and under

Do you think your school needs more support and technical assistance from the Department?The Department of Education has a $49,000 contract to provide technical assistance to 48 charter schools in New Orleans in complying with special education regulations and rules.  Administrators and teachers in school systems across Louisiana have been requesting additional support, guidance and technical assistance. 

 

Item 5.5 Fiscal Risk Assessment/Processes/Dialogue

A school system is at financial risk due to serving a very high rate of students with disabilities. Union Parish has had more than 40% of students leave the traditional public school to go to charter schools in the past few years.  The charter schools do not appear to be taking a fair share of students with disabilities, particularly students with higher cost disabilities. Differences in how funding is distributed to traditional and charter schools may be causing the traditional school to lose funding that should have stayed with the students with disabilities remaining in their school.  

Item 8.2  H.S. Graduation Rate Report
A Graduation Report shows that 36.7 percent of students with disabilities who entered ninth grade in 2009, graduated in 2013.  Unfortunately, a recent audit revealed problems with many students removed from the graduation rate calculation by schools marking these students as transfers to out-of-state or elsewhere.  The problem is there are no records of these students having transferred.    Read the article in The Times PicayuneGraduation rates have huge implications in the school, district and state accountability systems.  What percentage of students with disabilities were among those identified as undocumented transfers?

Contact your BESE member to tell them how you feel about these issues. 

BESE Agendas
 Click here for the link to the agenda for each June 2014 BESE Committee and Board meeting.

 

Tuesday, October 14th

  9:00 a.m.    Educator Effectiveness Committee

  9:30 a.m.   School Innovation and Turnaround Committee

12:30 p.m.   Academic Goals and Instructional Improvement Com. 

  2:30 p.m.   Administration and Finance Committee 

 

Wednesday, October 15th

  9:00 a.m.  BESE (Full Board)

BESE Members
Click HERE for the list of BESE Members by district or use the list below.

Mr. Chas Roemer  President

Chas.Roemer@la.gov

225.342.5840

Dr. Lottie Beebe

Lottie.Beebe@la.gov

337.412.2564

Ms. Holly Boffy

Secretary-Treasurer

Holly.Boffy@la.gov

337.354.5572

Ms. Connie E. Bradford

Connie.Bradford@la.gov

225.342.5840

Mr. James D. Garvey, Jr.  Vice President

James.Garvey@la.gov

504.836.6500

Mr. Jay Guillot

Jay.Guillot@la.gov

318.255.6825

Ms. Carolyn Hill

Carolyn.Hill2@la.gov

225.342.5840

Ms. Kira Orange Jones

Kira.OrangeJones@la.gov

225.342.5840

Mr. Walter Lee

Walter.Lee@la.gov

318.510.1111

Dr. Judith Miranti

Judith.Miranti@la.gov

225.342.5840

Ms. Jane Smith

Jane.Smith.BESE@la.gov

225.362.3058


Not sure which BESE member represents you?  
Use the Louisiana map with BESE Districts linked here to find out.
Did You Take Action?
action alert
 
Please let us know if you contacted your BESE Member or attended a BESE meeting by emailing us at info@lateach.org.
Any questions?
If there are any questions about the information in this alert, contact LaTEACH at:
contact pic
Phone: 1-800-450-8108
Phone: 1-800-894-6558
Website: www.lateach.org

LaTEACH is an initiative of the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council.