The State Power Grab

Amendment:What Educators should know

about a Constitutional Amendment Squeezing Local

Public Schools

The Vote is November 6

Superintendents and others are not telling educators how they must vote on the proposed constitutional amendment.

However, members of your communities will look to you for information and for your opinions about the constitutional amendment. You must understand the amendment’s implications on you, your students, and the public at large and be ready to convey that information to those who ask.

Background

Last year, the GA Supreme Court struck down a 2008 law that allowed the state to create and fund state charter schools against the wishes of local school boards and local communities.

Why did the court do this?

Because the GA constitution says that local school boards and local communities have exclusive authority to decide if they want charter schools in their communities.

And, because the 2008 law allowed the state to take local school funds without the consent of local communities and give that money to state charter schools.

WE believe the court was right!!

However, since the court said the state constitution prevents the state from creating and funding state charter schools..

..supporters of the 2008 law say we should rewrite the GA constitution to allow the state to do so.

How will the GA constitution be changed?

Through House Resolution 1162 and its enabling legislation, House Bill 797

HR 1162

Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities?

( )YES(X) NO

HR 1162 Misleads Voters

It confusingly (and, purposefully) restates the legally-settled premise that LOCAL communities can approve charter schools and DOES NOT make clear that voters are really voting on whether the STATE can APPROVE and FUND A PARALLEL STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

Because of inclusion of the phrase “at the request of local communities,” the ballot question obscures the fact that local school boards and communities will have no recourse if a small group of parents or a for-profit charter management company ignores the wishes of local voters and lobbies the state to create and fund a charter school in a voter’s area.

Why is the ballot question misleading?

Because it was poll-tested and carefully crafted to confuse voters who then may vote to approve it, thinking that they are helping their local public schools.

Repeated attempts by lobbyists and legislators to amend the ballot question to make its purpose clear were rebuffed by legislative leaders.

Unlike other states, GA law does not allow the clarity of ballot questions to be legally challenged.

More about Charter Schools

Charter schools differ from traditional public schools because charter schools can waive state laws and local board policies that regular public schools must follow.

There are two types of charter schools approved by local boards of education: Conversion charter schools Start-up charter schools

More on Charter Schools…

Georgia also has charter school systems, along with…

Special state schools for the deaf and blind, plus…

State charter schools that were approved before the Supreme Court ruling.

Charter Schools: Do they Help Students? What do we

Support? Data from the Georgia Department of

Education says that student achievement at charter schools is mixed.

Last year, AYP scores at GA traditional public schools were 3 points higher than at charter schools.

We support high-quality charter schools approved by local boards of education, which include: Start-up charter schools Conversion charter schools Charter school systems

o All three of these types of local charter schools and charter systems stand to lose state funding as a result of passage of the charter amendment

HB 797, Enabling Legislation to HR 1162:

HB 797 lays out the parameters of how the state will create state charter schools and the funding formula the state will use to fund those schools.

The bill recreates the GA Charter Schools Commission that was outlawed by the state Supreme Court decision.

The commission will have the authority to

approve state charter schools and will be composed of political appointees unaccountable to voters and local communities.

Money, Money, Money (or the lack of it)

HB 797 provides a funding formula for state charter schools and says those schools will receive funding equivalent to the per pupil funding that the poorest five GA school systems receive.

HB 797 is SILENT on WHERE these state funds will come from without diversion of additional state dollars from local charter schools and traditional public schools already reeling from state budget cuts.

Effect of State Education Budget Cuts

Shorter school years

Program elimination of athletics, art, music, foreign language

Larger class sizes Teacher layoffs Teacher furloughs

GA public education is funded by a combination of state and local tax

dollars

The state only sends local schools about $.81 on every $1 it says it owes.

Since 2009, the state has cut over $3 billion from public education.

Local communities are struggling to make up for the loss of state funds.

Local education funds come primarily from local

property taxes.

Local property values and tax revenues are down due to the real estate meltdown.

Change in Proportional Funding

Courtesy of the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute www.gpbi.org

State Education Funding Reduction 2001-2013

Courtesy of the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute www.gpbi.org

Food for Thought:

Georgia is not funding the local charter schools and traditional public schools already in existence.

Why should we allow the state to create more schools?

Why Proponents of the Constitutional Amendment Say

It’s Necessary Local school boards will not approve enough

charter schools, so the state must step in. [NOTE: The State Board of Education already has an appeals process through which they can approve charter schools originally denied by local boards.]

Public schools are failing, and charter schools provide an escape route.

The state must reestablish its role in public education in the wake of the court case.

Charter schools are cheaper to operate because they can waive state laws regarding: Class size Teacher pay Teacher contracts and dismissal Other state laws

Why these Proponents are Wrong:

Local boards of education should reject the charter applications of flawed charter petitioners. Local boards have a responsibility to ensure that taxpayers’ dollars are spent responsibly to improve educational outcomes for local students.

Public schools are not failing. Outcomes would increase if more attention and resources were focused on improving public schools and allowing educators more input in policies aimed at increasing student achievement and educator quality.

The state already has an established role in public education. Legislators pushing HR 1162 passed dozens of education bills this Spring which the Governor signed. State policymakers clearly feel they have authority to promulgate laws related to public education, the Supreme Court decision notwithstanding.

Savings that charter schools may realize by waiving state education laws like the teacher salary schedule jeopardize teacher quality and student achievement. Education policy decisions should not be based solely on cost savings.

Who Supports HR 1162?Brighter GA Coalition

Who else supports HR 1162?

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)

For-profit charter management companies interested in lining their pockets

Those who support school vouchers and tuition tax credits to private schools

Policy makers who seek campaign contributions and votes from these groups

Those who believe that public education and public educators have failed

Who Opposes HR 1162?

Every major membership group representing educators PAGE GAE PTA Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) Georgia School Superintendents Association (GSSA) Georgia Retired Educators Association (GREA) Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL)

Who else? Local Boards of Education Local Chambers of Commerce Business Leaders Elected Officials Editorial Boards

Vote SMART! NO to State-Controlled Schools!

Formal coalition comprised of State Power Grab opponents

Supports high quality education for Georgia students, with approval of and accountability for charter schools at local level

View the website and look for media rollout soon.

Vote SMART! Consider Donating Today

1162 supporters and their allies who support increased privatization of public education have a well-funded campaign.

You can donate to the opposition campaign by making your check to:

Vote SMART! Committee

Mailing Address:PO Box 766 Lawrenceville, GA 30046

OR, by going to www.votesmartgeorgia and donating online.

What can YOU do to Help Schools and Defeat the

State Power Grab? Be ready to discuss the merits and

shortcomings of the constitutional amendment with your colleagues, family, friends, and at community gatherings like PTA meetings .

Stay informed by reading websites, news articles, editorials, and the like.

Follow the Vote SMART campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

Consider donating to the Vote SMART campaign and voting against the amendment in November.

YOU can use these Talking Points!

Why oppose the State Power Grab Amendment? Your tax dollars: the amendment

allows the state to approve and divert funds to a parallel/dual state school system.

Control or no control: the amendment removes control from local school boards and local voters and gives it to state bureaucrats, the ultimate government power grab.

Money for kids or bureaucrats: the amendment will mean more state cuts to public schools, resulting in larger classes, shortened school years, and teacher furloughs and layoffs.

More Talking Points on the State Power Grab

Amendment This fight isn’t about school choice. It’s about who pays for

other people’s choices. This debate also isn’t about charter schools. It’s about

giving up local control, transparency, and accountability for our local schools.

This isn’t a Democrat vs. Republican debate. Legislators voted across party lines to put the constitutional amendment on the ballot. Republican and Democrat voters must defeat it together.

If the ballot amendment is approved in November, students and teachers will be hurt. Class sizes will increase, school years will be shortened, more teachers will be laid off and furloughed.

Instead of local school boards accountable to local voters, appointed partisan bureaucrats in Atlanta would create new charter schools in local communities, creating a parallel/dual state school system competing with local schools for already-scarce resources.

Let’s work together to refocus energies and resources on improving existing public schools and preparing Georgia’s children for the 21st century!

What are the Coalition Members doing?

Visiting schools and other forums to speak on the state power grab

Conducting grass-roots training in August & September

Making amendment information available at events between now and November

Partnering with the Vote SMART! campaign

Educating ourselves and our members

Circulating correct information to the public and the press

We Can Work Together to Defeat HR 1162!

Remember that a vote AGAINST the constitutional amendment is a vote FOR our public schools

Discussion?

Questions?