2006-2007 NDCEL Final Positions and Belief Statements
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 of the FTE Teacher Compensation Program that was started by the Legislature in 2001 as long as the current funding formula remains in place.  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 in per pupil payments and begins to address adequacy of funding over the next three biennia by placing all program funds into one formula and uses a base ADM.  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) Increase the per pupil payment to at least $3,200 the first year and at least $3,500 the second year with a statutory change for inflation that will begin to provide for 70 percent funding of the cost of education as defined by current law, with the additional funding to be paid by income and sales tax increases.
    (4) Increase the State’s share of special education funding from the current level of 22.4% to the national average of 45%.
    (5) Make the funding of high cost special education students more predictable by changing the current high cost risk pool for special education to an overall education high-cost risk pool.
    (6) Support state reimbursement for excess costs over 1.0 for the purposes of student placements.
  D. The NDCEL supports funding a transportation funding system relating to actual operational costs, ridership and mileage driven with a commitment to increased efficiency.
  E. The NDCEL strongly opposes public funding of private, parochial, or home schools through such mechanisms as vouchers, tax credits, tax-free savings accounts, etc.
  F. 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.
    (2) The NDCEL supports property tax relief legislation that provides direct to the taxpayer relief by the year 2013, assumes 70 percent funding of the cost of education, and is based on an adequacy model.
    (3) The NDCEL supports a simple majority vote to pass mill levy increases and bond issues.
    (4) The NDCEL supports allowing school boards to establish levies of up to 10 mills for technology by a simple majority vote of the Board.
    (5) The NDCEL supports a 20 mill-building fund established by a simple majority vote of the school board.
    (6) The NDCEL supports placing 90 percent of the Tobacco Settlement money into the Common Schools Trust Fund and 10 percent to the Health Department.
    (7) The NDCEL supports allowing local school districts to levy up to 15 mills which would be dedicated specifically for funding full day kindergarten by a simple majority vote of the school board.
    (8) The NDCEL supports allowing school boards to vote on all city and county tax abatements.
  G. The NDCEL supports continued state funding for the ETC and the statewide network.
  H. The NDCEL supports legislation for incentives such as “signing bonuses,” “housing,” and paying off the salary schedule to attract and retain certified personnel.
  I. 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.
2.  REFORM
  A. The NDCEL supports a system of school accreditation 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 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.
    Further, these assessments must be useful to educators concerned about improving the instruction of children and allow educational agencies direct input into this process.
    In addition, the cost of the mandated testing should be fully funded by the state and federal agencies.
  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 culture 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 Credits of Language Arts (English);
    (2) 4 Credits of Social Studies;
    (3) 4 Credits of Mathematics;
    (4) 4 Credits of Lab Science;
    (5) 1/2 Credit of Physical Education;
    (6) 1/2 Credit of Health
    (7) 6 years (courses) of Electives to include courses in technology, the arts, foreign languages, career and technical education, and other enrichments according to the interests of the student.
  F. The NDCEL supports a rigorous and adequately funded curriculum which ensures North Dakota students are educated in an innovative, relevant, integrated and challenging system which provides world-class quality to prepare 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 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.
3. ADMINISTRATIVE CREDENTIALS
  A. The NDCEL believes that an adequate number of well-trained, credentialed school administrators are necessary in each local school district to provide the leadership required to produce quality education. The NDCEL supports the current rules for administrative credentials and supports basing credential decisions on agreed-upon outcomes and not just inputs.
  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 supports any effort to allow more portability in pension plans.
  C. The NDCEL supports the current defined benefit plan used by TFFR as 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 are paid to TFFR.
  E. The NDCEL supports the development of a COLA provision in TFFR benefits.
  F. The NDCEL supports insuring TFFR’s funding level and overall financial health without impairing legally protected contractual obligations by:
    (1) Increasing the employer contribution from 7.75% to 8.75%.
    (2) Creating a new tier of reduced member benefits for new TFFR members as of July 1, 2007 which would include:
      (a)  Rule of 90
      (b)  Five-year vesting
      (c)  Final salary based on a five year average
    (3) 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.
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 and teachers including but not limited to the following areas.
    (1) Instructional Leadership
    (2) Data Driven Decision Making
    (3) School Safety
    (4) Performance Evaluation
    (5) Leadership to Increase Student Achievement
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.  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.
  B. The NDCEL believes that the minimum school day should be 6 clock hours for high school students and 6 hours for elementary students.
7. OTHER
  A. The NDCEL supports the use of tobacco funds or state general funds to fund school nurse programs.
  B. The NDCEL believes that full day-every day kindergarten programs that are developmentally appropriate have academic and behavioral benefits for young children.  Full day programs provide:
    (1) Large blocks of time to carryout in-depth explorations;
    (2) Time for a rigorous and nurturing instructional program with assessment and feedback;
    (3) Flexibility and more time for one-to-one instruction; and,
    (4) Time for the kindergarten staff to develop a stronger home/school partnership that is supportive of the families’ and school’s needs.
    Therefore, the NDCEL supports the implementation of full day-every day kindergarten programs for North Dakota schools, fully funding a full day kindergarten at a 1.0 weighted factor.  No full time student would have a weighted factor less than 1.0 and implementation of full time kindergarten programs would be a local school board decision.  Funding of full-time kindergarten programs would not be from the $60 million currently being committed to equity and adequacy as defined by the Governor’s Commission on Education Improvement.
  C. The NDCEL believes that principals should be compensated at the same daily rate of pay, with considerations made for education, responsibilities, and experience.
  D. The NDCEL supports state funding of pre-school education for 3-5 year old children.
  E. The NDCEL supports legislation which places an ending date to teacher negotiations prior to June 1 or impasse shall be declared.
  F. The NDCEL supports the use of lottery funds for providing for K-12 professional development.
  G. The NDCEL supports the banking of hours for staff development to be stated as 16 hours instead of two days and allows the 16 hours to be broken into 2 hour blocks.
  H. The NDCEL supports legislation that will allow all school districts in North Dakota an equal opportunity to participate with after-school programming.
  I. The NDCEL supports funding of elementary summer school and elementary core subject classes at 20 hour increments up to a total of 60 hours.
  J. The NDCEL supports individual student accountability on state proficiency standards and assessments in reading and math if additional support is provided and funded for those students not meeting proficiency.
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