1. FINANCE
A. The NDCEL strongly opposes any legislation that creates new mandates without full funding.
B. The NDCEL is very concerned about the current state of the economy as well as the financial condition of the school districts and the State of North Dakota. Therefore, the NDCEL strongly supports sustaining the funding that was started by the Legislature in 2007. Additionally, the NDCEL strongly supports any new dollars available from the State to be used for per pupil payments in the State Foundation Aid program.
C. In order to improve equity and adequacy of school funding in North Dakota, the NDCEL supports legislation that provides equity and adequacy in per pupil payments over the coming biennia. In addition, the NDCEL supports funding this formula with provisions for increased costs of educating children that will:
(1) Annually provide for 70 percent funding of the cost of education as defined by current law.
(2) Remove tax levy caps and other restrictions on school district levies.
(3) To support a total legislative appropriation of at least $100 million in new money to districts for the biennium.
(4) Make the funding of high cost students more predicative by changing the current high cost risk pool for special education to an overall education cost risk pool.
(5) Support state reimbursement for costs over 1.0 times the cost of education for non-special needs student placements.
(6) Increase state’s share of special education funding from the current .067 .070 to a weighting factor that more accurately reflects cost.
(7) Support state reimbursement for excess costs that more accurately reflects the highest (2%) of special needs cost students at three and one-half times the state average cost of education per student and that all related costs over that amount be reimbursed by the state.
(8) Distribute remaining funds from the excess cost pool, starting with the surplus from the 2007-2009 biennium, for high cost students on a per pupil basis.
D. The NDCEL supports the continuation of the Commission on Education which is comprised of representation as adopted by 2009 legislative as a vehicle for recommending adequate funding and sound educational policy for adoption by the North Dakota State Legislature.
E. The NDCEL supports a transportation funding system, outside of the per pupil payment of $100 million, relating to actual operational costs, ridership and mileage driven with a commitment to increased efficiency. Increases for rates paid per mile should be commensurate with increases, as a percentage of cost, in state mileage rates made by the state legislature as of 2009.
F. The NDCEL strongly opposes public funding of charter, private, parochial, or home schools through such mechanisms as state funded per pupil payments vouchers, tax credits, tax-free savings accounts, etc.
G. Taxation:
(1) The NDCEL supports a tax system that provides for a balanced mix of sales tax, income tax, energy tax, and property tax to adequately fund K-12 education resulting in a 70 percent funding of the statutory cost of education from the state and 30 percent from local sources which will meet the challenges of universal proficiency and provide a stable funding base which is moving from a system focused on access to a system focused on proficiency.
(2) The NDCEL supports property tax relief legislation that assumes 70 percent funding of the cost of education and is based on an adequacy model provided it does not reduce the money budgeted for K-12 education for the coming biennium.
(3) The NDCEL opposes any initiated measure which would restrict the number of tax dollars from going into the general fund or would limit a school district from capitalizing on any property valuation increase.
(4) The NDCEL supports a simple majority vote to pass mill levy increases and bond issues.
(5) The NDCEL supports allowing school boards to establish levies of up to 10 mills for technology by a simple majority vote of the Board.
(6) The NDCEL supports a 20 mill-building fund established by a simple majority vote of the school board.
(7) The NDCEL supports placing 90 percent of the Tobacco Settlement money into the Common Schools Trust Fund and 10 percent to the Health Department.
(8) The NDCEL supports allowing school boards to vote on all city and county tax abatements.
H. The NDCEL supports continued state funding for the ETC and the statewide network.
I. The NDCEL supports legislation for incentives such as “signing bonuses,” “housing,” paying off the salary schedule to attract and retain certified personnel.
J. NDCEL recognizes the positive impact that career and technical education has on students and the state’s economy. Therefore NDCEL supports the need for funding career and technical education which provides equitable programming to all students across the state.
K. The NDCEL supports the funding of the 2010-11 REAs at a level sufficient to fund delivery of new core offerings, additional services needed regionally, and meeting staffing needs and that it be included as a part of the state budget and not funded from the contingency fund.
2. REFORM
A. The NDCEL supports a system of school accreditation and approval which streamlines the required reporting process and provides timely approval and accreditation of schools that includes the development of areas of learning, educational standards, environmental and facilities standards, local implementation plans, and holds schools accountable for performance. These accreditation standards should be related to a district’s mission, goals, and objectives.
B. The NDCEL supports state-federal-mandated assessments, however, these tests must:
(1) Allow results from multiple assessments and opportunities to retake assessments to be used in gauging school success.
(2) Allow ELL students to develop language proficiency as determined by a language proficiency assessment before using their scores in determining AYP.
(3) Employ a “growth” model to determine student progress/achievement from year to year (longitudinally) to allow the tracking of students and student sub-groups over time.
(4) Not be administered to 12th grade students.
(5) Be useful to educators concerned about improving the instruction of children and allow educational agencies direct input into this process with a turn around time of four to six weeks.
(6) The cost of the mandated testing should be fully funded by the state and federal agencies.
(7) Not support any state mandated assessment above and beyond federal requirements unless the assessment is tied to scholarship eligibility for students such as the ACT/WorkKeys.
(8) Be electronic assessments such as the NWEA MAP.
C. The NDCEL supports quality schools, which are defined as locally driven with a plan for school improvement. Locally derived performance and content standard should be a part of the curriculum, and they should be related to a district’s mission, goals, and objectives. Schools should:
(1) Provide educators who are role models who are trained and current in research and instructional methods.
(2) Be supported financially and emotionally by a community interested in collaboration for children.
(3) Be focused on teaching and learning.
D. The NDCEL supports quality schools, which are defined as locally driven with a plan for school improvement. Locally derived performance and content standard should be a part of the curriculum and they should be related to a district’s mission, goals, and objectives. Students should:
(1) Learn to be good citizens by understanding and practicing democracy.
(2) Learn to respect and get along with others amid an atmosphere of learning and individual comfort.
(3) Practice and understand health and safety.
(4) Prepare for the world of work.
(5) Seek to be good managers of time and resources.
(6) Develop skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, mathematics, and problem solving.
(7) Learn to examine and use information.
(8) Appreciate fine arts and beauty.
(9) Respect and understand the world around them.
E. The NDCEL supports quality schools, which are defined as an “educational experience” which attempts to provide activities designed to further the progress of the whole student in relation to his/her needs, abilities, interests, and achievement. The high school education offering should include:
(1) 4 Units of Language Arts (English);
(2) 4 Units of Social Studies;
(3) 4 Units of Mathematics;
(4) 4 Units of Lab Science;
(5) ½ Units of Physical Education;
(6) ½ Units of Health;
(7) Two units of fine arts, at least one of which must be music;
(8) Two units of the same foreign or Native American language;
(9) One unit of an advanced placement course or one unit of a dual-credit course;
(10) Two units of career and technical education from a coordinated plan of study; and
(11) Provides an optional curriculum for academically struggling students.
F. The NDCEL supports a rigorous and adequately funded standards based curriculum which ensures North Dakota students are educated in an innovative, relevant, integrated and challenging system which prepares them as good citizens and take full advantage of employment opportunities.
G. The NDCEL supports quality schools, which are defined as performance and content standards in North Dakota:
(1) A school should be linked to a School Improvement Planning process via AdvanceED-NCA or the Department of Public Instruction.
(2) Performance and Content Standards should serve as guides within the improvement process. Local schools shall retain the right to select and approve local curriculum.
(3) Locally selected curriculum should be adopted based on a district’s mission, goals, and objectives.
(4) There shall be high standards for all students, which are aligned to curriculum and instruction and in conjunction with assessments to measure and recognize academic progress.
H. The NDCEL strongly opposes using economic sanctions, rewards, student transfers, vouchers, and ranking of schools based on performance to “punish” schools to become excellent.
I. The NDCEL strongly opposes any legislative mandates regarding how schools should achieve outcomes. The “how to” is best left to the professionals in the school system.
J. The NDCEL opposes home education or private schools that are not accredited by NDDPI and are not taught by licensed teachers.
K. The NDCEL supports legislation that requires students to remain in school until they acquire proficiencies required for graduation or until they reach an age of 18 provided that adequate funding is available for enforcement and the provision of adequate educational opportunities for non-matriculating students.
L. The NDCEL opposes any federal mandates that requires the removal of principals or teachers as a part the “turnaround schools” requirement as outlined in the “BluePrint for Reform” for the reauthorization of ESEA.
3. ADMINISTRATIVE CREDENTIALS
A. The NDCEL supports the current rules for administrative credentials provided it allows state programs in educational leadership to allow required course preparations which are K-12 in content (curriculum, school administration, etc.) and can be taught in any sequence order as long it is an approved program of study. The NDCEL also supports basing credential decisions on agreed-upon outcomes and not j
B. The NDCEL supports the creation of an “Administrative Standards and Practices Board” for the purpose of setting and reviewing standards for training and credentialing of school administrators if attempts are made to change the current rules or move the process to the ESPB.
4. RETIREMENT
A. The NDCEL supports the use of any “margin” in the TFFR funds to be used to increase benefits for members through the formula. The NDCEL supports a pre-funded health insurance program using state funds and not the margin of the Fund.
B. The NDCEL supportspension portability and license reciprocity to encourage the free flow of professional leadership.
C. The NDCEL very strongly supports the current defined benefit plan used by TFFR and is verystrongly opposed to any defined contribution plan.
D. The NDCEL supports allowing retired members of TFFR to return to work at full salary with full benefits as long as contributions and assessments are paid to TFFR.
E. The NDCEL supports insuring TFFR’s funding level and overall financial health without impairing legally protected contractual obligations by allowing school districts, for purposes of determining minimum salary, to include the employee’s half of TFFR in the determination of minimum salary for school districts paying both sides of TFFR.
F. The NDCEL supports actions to ensure a self-fund ratio of at least 85 % by 2039 and look for ways using 100 percent of federal jobs funding to offset funding deficit of TFFR.
5. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
A. The NDCEL supports increased funding for ND LEAD and Teacher Centers so that appropriate professional development activities can be provided to administrators.
B. The NDCEL supports development of local professional development programs for teachers and administrators, with a minimum of four days appropriately funded.
6. SCHOOL CALENDAR/YEAR/DAY:
A. The NDCEL supports local school boards maintaining the authority to establish the school calendar, school year, and school day and an increase in the state appropriation for foundation aid that will allow funding of at least 70% to provide for a minimum school term of 185 days.
B. The school calendar must include a minimum of 175 days for instruction, 3 days for holidays, 2 days for parent-teacher conferences, and 5 days for professional development activities. If there is a mandated after Labor Day school start the requirement must also be imposed on all educational institutions including higher ed.
C. The NDCEL believes that the minimum school day should be 6 clock hours for high school students and 6 hours for elementary students.
D. The NDCEL supports the banking of hours for staff development days reported to DPI as a part of the calendar report rather than requested from DPI.
E. The NDCEL supports having extended, compensated days for staff development which are a part of the school calendar.
7. OTHER
A. The NDCEL supports the use of tobacco funds or state general funds to fund school nurse programs.
B. The NDCEL supports state authorization and state funding of developmentally appropriate early education programs for 3-5 year old children.
C. The NDCEL supports legislation which places an ending date to teacher negotiations prior to June 1 or impasse shall be declared.
D. The NDCEL supports the use of lottery funds for providing for K-12 professional development.
E. The NDCEL supports a deferred maintenance and physical plant improvement grant program by appropriating $40,000 for grants in the coming biennium district deferred maintenance and physical plant improvement should general fund revenues exceed a $35 million surplus by the end of the first year of the next biennium.
F. The NDCEL supports expanding and funding at the same foundation (ADM) rate as alternative high school students for an alternative school or alternative school day treatment programs at the elementary, middle, and high school level. Middle school alternative students are defined as 13-14 and 15-year students.
G. The NDCEL supports legislation that would fund PowerSchool as the student data base and uses the ndSLED longitudinal data system to collect all data related to student and school reporting requirements.
H. The NDCEL supports legislation that would provide for the future sustainability of the state scholarship fund but that it not be funded from the Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund.
I. The NDCEL supports the signing on of the State of North Dakota to participate in the review of common core standards and assessments.
J. The NDCEL supports changing in NDCC 15.1-21-02.1 language back to the requirements of “at least 22 credits, but must take [units 1-5]."
K. The NDCEL supports authorizing its board of directors to develop a policy for school districts on harassment, intimidation, and bullying policy.
L. NDCEL supports legislation that requires mandatory school attendance upon enrollment in a k-12 system.
M. The NDCEL supports investigating research based legislation for alternative compensation for all certified personnel that provides funding on an ADM basis to all school districts who volunteer to participate in an ATC program or a scaled down pilot program.
