Opposed County Office Power Grab Escapes from Committee
Despite intense opposition from CTA and other organizations, the Senate Education Committee gave its 6-1 approval to a CTA-opposed measure that would undermine local efforts to meet the state’s stringent academic standards.
AB 1403, by Assembly Member Juan Arambula (D-Fresno), cleared the panel after the author offered some amendments in hopes of persuading CTA and other opponents to back the proposal.
Sen. Tom Torlakson was the sole panel member who spoke against the measure and cast a “no” vote. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) was present but abstained, and Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) was not present for the committee hearing.
Voting against CTA and for the bill were the committee’s chair, Sen. Jack Scott (D-Pasadena), and Senators Mark Wyland, co-chair (R-Escondido), Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara), Jeff Denham (R-Merced) a cosponsor of the bill; Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles), and Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
As amended, AB 1403 would create a pilot program in Fresno and Tulare Counties that would allow County Superintendents there almost unlimited power to take over districts not meeting their federal target – as measured by the flawed Academic Yearly Progress (AYP) index – or their state Annual Progress Index (API) target score. The amendments, which were available only in concept when the committee voted for the measure, would ostensibly make the program “voluntary” for the first several years.
Currently, the powers to monitor districts and schools that miss these targets reside in the state superintendent of public education, the state Board of Education, and the local school board. The bill would create a pilot program that could be expanded to all counties in the state later on that would set aside all these offices and give county superintendents virtually unchecked power of these districts.
Among other things, the bill would supersede the Quality Education Investment Act of 2006, designed to provide additional funds to help Decile 1 and Decile 2 school districts. Specifically, a county office takeover could force the district to return the QEIA funding back to the state.
In addition, the bill would impose new mandates on school districts already in state and federal accountability programs with no assurances of additional assistance.
The measure could undermine both statewide efforts mounted by the state Superintendent and the State Board of Education to help these districts, along with local efforts undertaken and overseen by the duly elected local education board.
The measure now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee, where CTA-led efforts to defeat the bill will continue.
CTA Members:
Get in touch with the Senate Appropriations Committee now and urge members to vote against AB 1403. The panel could hear the measure as early as August 6. Make sure you send a copy of your letter to Sen. Tom Torlakson, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The following senators serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee. You can write them c/o The State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814. Please also direct a copy of your communication to the Senator Torlakson at the Senate Appropriations Committee, Room 2206, the State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Also, you can go to the Legislative Action Center, where you can send faxes and e-mails directly to these officials.
Senator Tom Torlakson (Chair)
Senator Dave Cox (Vice Chair)
Senator Samuel Aanestad
Senator Roy Ashburn
Senator Jim Battin
Senator Gilbert Cedillo
Senator Ellen Corbett
Senator Robert Dutton
Senator Dean Florez
Senator Sheila Kuehl
Senator Jenny Oropeza
Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas
Senator George Runner
Senator Joe Simitian
Senator Darrell Steinberg
Senator Mark Wyland
Senator Leland Yee