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Special Education Parents Advisory Council of Scottsdale
Update
Governor Signs Budget - Full Day Kindergarten and
Teacher Salary Increases Funded
Contributed by Amy Besing, Legislative Liaison, Scottsdale
Parent Council
This week the legislature passed and the Governor approved
our state’s budget. Arizona’s K-12 education system received
a much needed $200+ million shot in the arm that will
provide funding to complete the phase-in of Voluntary Full
Day Kindergarten statewide and give districts $100 million
to cover increases in retirement contributions and salary
increases for our state’s teachers. It also includes funding
for the Master Teacher mentoring program, and additional
funds for special education, gifted education, and
transportation.
Now, you don’t get a bump in public education dollars in
this state, with this legislature, without giving up
something in return. So in addition to the cost of funding
the above items, a compromise was struck which allowed a
sizeable increase in tax credits for corporate donations to
private schools, and a couple of voucher programs that will
give certain special ed students and foster children
vouchers to attend private schools. While these are wildly
unpopular within the education community, and polls say with
voters in Arizona as well, the majority of the legislators
we elected to represent us at our state capitol voted to
include them in this budget (that includes a majority of the
Scottsdale representatives in both the House and Senate).
So, roughly $14 million ($10 million in tax credits/$4
million in vouchers) next year in public dollars will go to
support private and parochial schools. And the tax credit
amount will increase by 20% each year through 2011.
The new funding for K-12 is a nice win for education, even
though it comes at a price. Vouchers haven’t proven to
dramatically change the education landscape anywhere they’ve
been tried, however this legislature is determined for
Arizona to be the next school choice guinea pig. We’ll have
to see how these programs play out, however its hopeful that
eventually these voucher and tax credit programs will be
amended to include some sort of accountability, some way to
measure whether or not the dollars our state is investing in
the private and parochial school system, and subsequently
taking out of the public system, is actually moving the
achievement of the children who participate in these
programs forward, rather than just moving a political agenda
forward.
With the passage of this budget, the session should end
soon. It’s been a long and winding road for everyone
involved in this highly political process. Scottsdale Parent
Council thanks our elected officials for their service. We
thank the education groups who tirelessly lobbied on behalf
of our kids. We thank Governor Janet Napolitano for once
again making the children of our state her number one
priority. And, most importantly, we thank all the parents
who called and emailed their legislators to let them know
public education, and our children, are worth the
investment. Your voice really does make a difference.
Contact:
Amy Besing
Legislative Liaison
Scottsdale Parent Council
abesing@cox.net 602-538-6922
New Special Education Bills Signed into Law
Contributed by Barb Ross, PIN Specialist, Arizona Dept. of
Education
Below are the final versions of the two bills that were
signed into law by the Governor. Our statutes are now in
compliance with IDEA '04 (1380) and we now have licensure
for Speech Language Pathology Assistants (1379). Hopefully,
the addition of appropriately used SLPAs will help to reduce
the critical SLP shortage we currently face. Please note
that only a MASTER's degree level SLP may be the SLPA
supervisor.
Contact:
Barb Ross
ADE/ESS
PIN Specialist
East Maricopa County
480-607-3030
480-443-0351 FAX Toll Free: 800-352-4558
barbraross@cox.net
www.azed. gov/ess/pinspals
Scottsdale Supporters of the Gifted Calendar
for 2006-07 school year
Contributed by Lori Rubin-Williamson, President, Scottsdale
Supporters of the Gifted
Mark your calendars!
The following workshops and events are a direct result of
our spring poll. Thank you for voting! Please note that all
workshops require advance registration, so don’t delay if
you want to sign up! Please visit our
web site to get more information about each of the
events listed below.
August 14, 2006 6:45pm - 8:30pm
SSG meeting
August 15 - 17, 2006
Homework Doctor – How to Manage the Rigors of Nightly
Homework, multi-day workshop for children, parents, and
educators presented by Victoria Olivadoti
September 9, 2006; 10:00am - 12:00pm
Twice Exceptional (2E-Gifted with learning disabilities)
Special Interest Group Meeting
September 13, 2006; 5:00pm - 7:30pm
SSG Ice-Cream Social & Games Night
September 16, 2006; 8:30am - 12:30pm
“Surviving the Middle Years – Getting an Appropriate
Education, Avoiding Stigmas, Setting the Path for the
Future”, Workshop presented by Carolyn Coil, Ed.D
September 18, 2006 6:45pm - 8:30pm
SSG meeting
September 27, 2006; 7:00pm - 8:30pm
“20 Ways to Assure Success for your Gifted Children”,
Presented by Jerry Chris, PhD
October 10, 11 or 12, 2006 (date, time and location to be
confirmed)
“Frustrated Brilliance”, presented Lynda Katz PhD
October 13, 2006; 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream Fundraiser
October 16, 2006 6:45pm - 8:30pm
SSG meeting
November 6, 2006; 7:00pm - 8:30pm
“Managing Life with a Challenging Child: Practical
Strategies to Address Intensity, Inflexibility, and
Sensitivities”, presented by Barbara Probst, LCSW
November 13, 2006 6:45pm - 8:30pm
SSG meeting
December 11, 2006 6:45pm - 8:30pm
SSG meeting
January 22, 2007 6:45pm - 8:30pm
SSG meeting
January 24, 2007; 7:00pm – 8:30pm
“Encouraging Kids to Think and Act Intelligently: Habits of
Mind and the Pyramid of Talent Development”, presented by
Paula Wilkes, PhD
February 3, 2007; 12:15pm – 5:30pm
Social Skills Workshop, Grades 3, 4, & 5, presented by
Leadership Workshops Foundation for Youth & Family
February 4, 2007; 12:15pm – 5:30pm
Social Skills Workshop, Grades 6, 7, & 8, presented by
Leadership Workshops Foundation for Youth & Family
February 12, 2007 6:45pm - 8:30pm
SSG meeting
March 19, 2007 6:45pm - 8:30pm
SSG meeting
April 16, 2007 6:45pm - 8:30pm
SSG meeting
April (date to be determined), 2007
3rd Annual Gala: Dinner & Silent Auction
April (date to be determined), 2007
Fiddlesticks Family Fun Night
May 21, 2007 6:45pm - 8:30pm
SSG meeting
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