LIVE BLOG: June 17th Board of Education Special Legislative Meeting
Thank you for following our live blog of today’s Special Legislative Meeting for Atlanta Public Schools.
View today’s agenda here: http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/aps/Board.nsf/Public
REFRESH your browser often for updates.
The live blog will begin at 3:15 p.m.
3:17pm – John O’Connor currently answering question from BOE regarding new positions created on today’s agenda for Special Education Teachers. We are picking up mid-conversation/discussion. We apologize for any gaps in information.
Kinanne: Has the funding from another area previously funded by IDEA
Davis: Yes
O’Connor: We are obligated to spend 15% of our funds for qualifying early intervening students – those not yet identified with a disability. Typically you cannot spend IDEA funds on non-identified students, this is an expectation where we are required to do that.
Kinnane asks why this was not presented at last weeks BOE meeting.
O’Connor: This will shrink our ability to have carryover dollars for the next year.
Kinanne: I thought a lot of the discussion on Monday, where the Special Ed audit came in, this is all about best serving all students of APS…so I think..I’m just a little disappointed that…
Davis: These are not special education students and we were not in a conversation about all students. This is not special ed funding. You asked for a discussion (last week) on the special ed audit and we had a discussion about the audit. This was not the subject of the presentation.
Kinanne: It was the subject of some of the questions. In terms of the idea that kids needs are met and identified early on…then very likely we are going to have to place less kids in that program. I don’t think …I do think I asked the question…
Davis: With respect to pyramids of intervention, I believe this BOE has had a number of presentations on that.
Muhammad: I wanted to ask if we could just call the question on this motion.
English: I want to point out that while the wrap around services has received presentations, I think we need a full presentation on our support services, in particular what is our plan to address so many of the things we’ve heard. Be it suspensions, increase graduation rate…we’ve got a 30,000 foot view but it has yet to be articulated.
Davis: We can certainly schedule that.
Amos (sitting in as chair): There has been a call for question.
Muhammad; This sounds like something we are being mandated to do, so we should call the question.
Amos: Motion has been made, seconded and question called.
Vote taken, motion carries.
Kinnane: I understand your point Mr. Davis, but was this actually mandated. Mr. English is asking about the whole plan.
Davis: The state gives us some flexibility and this is how we’ve chosen to meet their mandate. The mandate was the dollar amount and types of services on which it must be spent.
O’Connor further clarifies the students that would be serviced, follow up required by state and data that must be gathered.
Davis: These will be the people (new positions in agenda) that will do this work.
3:29pm Motion made to adjourn. Meeting adjourned.
Find below two resolutions, approved at the top of today’s meeting, surrounding the FY14 budget.
REQUESTING A TAX LEVY FOR THE FY 2014 GENERAL FUND BUDGET
(Final Approval)
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the State of Georgia grants authority to municipal
corporations to maintain existing independent school systems and to support the
same as authorized by special and general law; and
WHEREAS, every municipal corporation having an independent school system which it is
permitted to maintain by Article VIII, Section VI, Paragraph I of the Constitution
of Georgia, including independent public school system, is authorized to support
and maintain the public common schools within such independent school system
by levy of ad valorem taxes at such rate as may be fixed by law, upon all taxable
property within the limits of such municipal corporation; and
WHEREAS, the ATLANTA BOARD OF EDUCATION is charged by law with the duty of
operating the independent school system in the City of Atlanta and is charged by
law with the responsibility of annually recommending to the Mayor and Council
of the City of Atlanta the rate of the tax levy to be made, within the limitations
now or hereafter fixed by law, upon all taxable property within the limits of the
City of Atlanta; and
WHEREAS, such taxes as levied and collected for the support and maintenance of the Atlanta
Public Schools by the Mayor and Council of the City of Atlanta shall be
appropriated, when collected, to the Board of Education of the City of Atlanta for
the maintenance and operation of the Atlanta Public Schools.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Education of the City of Atlanta, pursuant
to the authority vested in it by the laws of the State of Georgia, hereby recommends to the Mayor and the
Council of the City of Atlanta that they provide by proper legal means for the assessment, levy and
collection of an ad valorem tax on all taxable property within the limits of the City of Atlanta amounting
to twenty-one and sixty-four hundredth (21.64) mills for the general operation of the school system,
which represents the millage rate of the preceding year of twenty-one and sixty-four hundredth (21.64)
mills.
_____________________________________
Reuben R. McDaniel, III, Chair
Atlanta Board of Education
REQUESTING A TAX LEVY FOR THE FY 2014 BOND SINKING FUND
(Final Approval)
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the State of Georgia grants authority to municipal
corporations to maintain existing independent school systems and to support the
same as authorized by special and general law; and
WHEREAS, every municipal corporation having an independent school system which it is
permitted to maintain by Article VIII, Section VI, Paragraph I of the Constitution
of Georgia, including independent public school system, is authorized to support
and maintain the public common schools within such independent school system
by levy of ad valorem taxes at such rate as may be fixed by law, upon all taxable
property within the limits of such municipal corporation; and
WHEREAS, the ATLANTA BOARD OF EDUCATION is charged by law with the duty of
operating the independent school system in the City of Atlanta and is charged by
law with the responsibility of annually recommending to the Mayor and Council
of the City of Atlanta the rate of the tax levy to be made, within the limitations
now or hereafter fixed by law, upon all taxable property within the limits of the
City of Atlanta; and
WHEREAS, the ATLANTA BOARD OF EDUCATION is charged by law with the
responsibility of requesting the Mayor and Council of the City of Atlanta to levy
the Bond Sinking Fund tax for the retirement of the outstanding bonds.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the City of Atlanta, pursuant
to the authority vested in it by the laws of the State of Georgia, hereby recommends to the Mayor and the
Council of the City of Atlanta that they provide by proper legal means for the assessment, levy and
collection of an ad valorem tax on all taxable property within the limits of the City of Atlanta amounting
to 0.1mills for the Bond Sinking Fund of the school system.
_____________________________________
Reuben R. McDaniel, III, Chair
Atlanta Board of Education
——————————
6/19/13 Update
Following the live blog, community members had unanswered questions surrounding special education positions and funding presented during the special legislative meeting. The Office of Communications spent time with John O’Connor, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services to dig deeper into his presentation to the board. Find our Q&A below:
Q: What are the federal requirements regarding disproportionality?
A: According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the federal legislation that governs special education, State Departments of Education must determine if “significant disproportionality” exists for students with disabilities in each school district.
Q: What is “disproportionality?”
A: A school district can exhibit “disproportionality” for students with disabilities by race and ethnicity. Some areas of disproportionality include when one subgroup of students with disabilities is: 1) over suspended compared to other racial/ethnic groups, 2) over-placed in pull out special education classes compared to other racial/ethnic groups, or 3) over-identified as having specific disabilities compared to other racial/ethnic groups.
Q: You mentioned in your presentation that the district was recently cited by the State of Georgia as it relates to suspensions in our schools. Can you go into detail?
A: Over the last several years, APS has been cited as being significantly disproportionate in our suspensions of African American students with disabilities. Our African American students with disabilities are at a greater risk of being suspended than other students with disabilities. This latest citation reflects the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years. There were multiple, similar citations prior to the most recent citation.
Q: How does this citation relate to IDEA?
A: When school districts are cited for significant disproportionality, the district must re-direct 15% of IDEA funds (federal special education dollars) in order to provide Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) to non-disabled students. The services must be applied to a target group of students who need additional support. The services cannot be provided to “all” students, but must focus on a select group of high-need students. The services cannot focus on any one racial or ethnic group at the exclusion of other groups.
Q: Who will provide these services? How will you re-direct the IDEA funds?
A: In APS, we will hire 19 Behavior Specialists who will each serve two schools apiece. They will work with their school leaders to determine between 20-25 students at each school who are at risk for behavioral suspensions or a high number of absences. The previous year’s data will be reviewed as a part of this process.
Q: What exactly will the Specialists do? Will they work alone?
A: The Behavioral Specialists will provide a variety of ongoing support and interventions for those students which may include, but are not limited to: goal-setting with the students, partnering with the family, check in/check out, small group sessions, mediation, social/emotional development activities, etc. The Behavioral Specialist will work in collaboration with the school’s leadership team, teachers, graduation coaches, counselors, social workers, parent liaisons, etc.
Q: How is the impact of this initiative monitored?
A: Over the next two years, we will report data to the Georgia Department of Education on the results of the interventions for the targeted students. In addition, the Georgia Department of Education will use the student lists to determine if any of the students were determined to be identified as having a disability at any time during the next 2 years. The data collection requirements are outlined in the IDEA legislation.
Q: Is this the only activity planned to address the behavioral needs of our students?
No. A comprehensive plan will be implemented throughout APS in which each school provides positive and proactive discipline systems for all students and tiers of supports and interventions for select students. The Behavioral Specialists are merely one component of our efforts to address the social, emotional and behavioral needs of our students.